ROCKPORT and BELFAST — MaineHealth Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals have received a $10,000 grant from Free ME from Lung Cancer to help uninsured and underinsured patients access follow-up lung cancer screenings, which are frequently not completed due to cost barriers, according to MaineHealth, in a news release.

The grant was secured through the efforts of Letitia Stover, RN, lung cancer screening patient navigator for Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals. Stover’s involvement in statewide lung cancer screening and advocacy groups connected her with Deb Violette, president and founder of Free ME from Lung Cancer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for lung cancer research, education, advocacy and community support. That connection led to discussions about funding. Stover then collaborated with Pulmonology Practice Manager Abbey Harriman over several months to secure the grant.

“The opportunity to partner with Deb Violette and Free ME from Lung Cancer has opened the door to meaningful conversations about the barriers our patients face,” said Stover. “This funding gives us the resources we need to ensure patients can access essential follow up imaging, without cost being a limiting factor.”

Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screenings are generally covered by insurance when performed annually. However, if an abnormality is detected, the recommended three- or six-month follow-up scan often comes with significant out-of-pocket costs, according to MaineHealth. While most insurance companies cover the cost of follow-up scans, cost depends on an individual’s copay or deductible; for patients without insurance, the cost can be significant.

These coverage gaps can prevent high-risk patients from receiving timely imaging that can detect lung cancer at an early and more treatable stage. Early detection leads to more treatment options, better patient outcomes and increased survival rates compared to a late- stage diagnosis. For the majority of patients, follow-up scans show stability, allowing them to return to annual screenings. When patients opt to delay or forgo follow-up altogether, there’s a risk that potentially treatable cancers will progress silently, reducing the opportunity for early intervention and increasing the risk of advanced staged diagnosis.

Annual LDCT screening is recommended for high-risk adults ages 50 to 77 — though some insurance plans extend coverage to age 80— who currently smoke, have quit within the past 15 years, or have a smoking history that is equal to or greater than 20 pack-years, such as 1 pack a day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years. Since lung cancer in its earliest stages rarely causes symptoms, annual screening plays a critical role in detecting the disease early among those at higher risk.

By expanding access to follow-up scans, this grant helps strengthen early detection efforts across the midcoast community and will ensure that more high-risk patients can receive the follow-up imaging necessary.

Patients are encouraged to speak with their primary care provider to determine whether they qualify for annual lung cancer screening. For more information, visit: Low-dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) | MaineHealth.

About Free ME from Lung Cancer

Free ME from Lung Cancer is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the impact of lung cancer through research funding, public education, advocacy and direct community support. The organization works to make lung cancer a national priority and strives to ease the burden on individuals and families affected by the disease by expanding access to early detection, supporting patients in need and investing in efforts that advance prevention and treatment.

About MaineHealth

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and Waterville. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.