CHESAPEAKE, Va (WAVY) – In honor of the Great American Smokeout, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare hosted a Lung Health Resource Fair on Thursday. The annual event encourages smokers to quit to improve their health status.

“We’re doing some amazing things here as far as being able to diagnose lung cancer when it’s as small as the tip of an eraser,” Dr. Stephen Noble, Medical Director of Chesapeake Regional’s Lung Nodule Program said. “When it’s that small, we’re able to cut that portion of the lung out. We don’t have to take out the whole lobe, but we’re able to take out that portion of the lung using a robot, which is essentially like playing a video game. And patients are able to go home as early as one day after that surgery, cancer free.”

Low-dose CT scans are recommended for people between 50-80 years old, who smoke or formerly smoked and have a 20 pack-year smoking history.

At the fair, attendees were also able to have their lungs examined by breathing into a spirometer.

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but it’s very beneficial to one’s health.

Former smoker, Rudy Copp, quit more than 50 years ago.

“I was driving a truck and smoking two packs a day. My chest felt tight, so I went to my doctor,” he said.

Copp replaced cigarettes with Big Red gum and is feeling great at 86. His wife, Margaret, however continued to smoke and suffered with COPD.

“It was hard watching her go down – I mean just deteriorate,” he said,

Those with a history of heavy smoking are encouraged to call 757-312-3012 to make an appointment for a lung cancer screening. Low-dose CT scans for eligible patients are an approved annual test to detect lung cancer early.

For more information on how to help you quit smoking, click here.