Spring-Summer 2026 11 For years, Marcus Whitlow made a decision that ultimately saved his life: He showed up for his annual lung cancer screening. A retired military service member and former police officer, Whitlow spent decades in service—and was a smoker for much of that time. When low-dose CT lung cancer screenings became available, his physician urged him to complete one every year. He followed that advice consistently. “Every now and then, something would show up on the CT lung scan, a nodule or something,” Whitlow recalls. “We’d go back, check it out later, and it would be gone.” That pattern continued until one scan showed a spot that didn’t disappear. Months later, it had grown. A biopsy confirmed lung cancer. “Those are words you never want to hear,” Whitlow says. Taking quick action His care team moved quickly. Within weeks of diagnosis, Whitlow began immunotherapy and radiation. “Fortunately, we caught it in the early stages,” he says. “With today’s modern medicine, they were going to knock it out of me—and they did.” Treatment lasted several months and involved multiple specialists working together. Whitlow says the coordination and communication were seamless. A Frankfort resident, Whitlow was able to receive the bulk of his treatment at the Frankfort campus, which offers oncology and infusion services. ‘Prevention is utmost’ How an annual screening saved a patient’s life Talk with your primary care provider about a routine CT lung cancer screening. For more on cancer care at Riverside, go to myrhc.net/cancer or call (815) 214-9076. To hear Whitlow’s full story, scan the QR code. “From the time we diagnosed that it was cancerous, within a week I was starting immunotherapy and radiation,” he says. “I couldn’t believe how well everybody worked together.” Meaningful support Just as meaningful was the support he received along the way. “They treated you like family,” Whitlow says. “Any concern that you had, they followed up on it.” When treatment ended, Whitlow rang the bell—a moment he describes simply as “euphoria.” Today, he remains in remission and continues routine follow-up scans. His experience reshaped his perspective on healthcare, especially prevention. “Prevention is utmost,” Whitlow says. “Catching things early is the most important thing.” His advice to current and former smokers is clear: “Take advantage of this CT lung scan,” Whitlow says. “Catching things early can more than likely cure you. If you wait too long until you have symptoms, a lot of times it can be too late.”
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