“My father was a Navy corpsman,” reflects Nurse Practitioner Shannon Magee of Charleston VA. “And with his encouragement, I knew at a very young age that nursing was my natural career path. When I learned of my opportunity to serve VA and manage the Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) program, I knew right away it was the right work for me and for our Veterans.”
In 2014, Charleston was one of VA’s first lung cancer screening sites made available to all of our Community-Based Outpatient Clinics. Thus far, 62% of the area’s eligible Veterans have been screened and 55 cases of lung cancer have been diagnosed, with the majority being stage 1 (the most curable). Shannon states, “Men are 23% more likely than women to develop lung cancer, which creates a statistically higher risk for our Veterans. Candidates for LCS are 55- to 80-years-old and have at least a 30-year history of smoking… For this particular age group, smoking was used as a reward, and some Veterans say it was encouraged during their time in service.” Shannon is passionate about educating Veterans on the dangers of smoking and supporting their efforts to kick the habit.
It is not uncommon for VA to hear from its faculty that something personal drew them to serve those who served their country. We highlight stories like these, in hopes that you, too, will consider the positive impact you could make by sharing your talent and compassion with VA.
To read Shannon’s story, click HERE. Learn more about the impact you could make with a career at VA and apply today.
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