Naval Medical Center Portsmouth staff members joined together to host the Great American Smokeout Day Health Fair, Nov. 15.

NMCP staff assigned to the Health Promotion and Wellness Clinic, members of the Radiation Oncology Warriors of Hope Committee, and Sailors assigned to Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit (NEPMU) 2 presented materials to NMCP staff and patients during the fair.

Presentations included a general wellness display with an anti-tobacco message and materials; nutritional information that explained the harms of diets high in sugar, fat and cholesterol; and mental health brochures and information.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and the Radiation Oncology Warriors of Hope Committee set up a display about lung cancer and handed out gray ribbons.

“In light of November being Lung Cancer Awareness Month, it was only fitting that The Warriors of Hope join in for GASO and support the command's efforts of tobacco cessation,” said Kristie Ledman, a member of the Radiation Oncology Warriors of Hope Committee. “Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women worldwide and amongst the top cancers treated here in Radiation Oncology.”

GASO is an annual health event sponsored by the American Cancer Society every third Thursday of November that spreads awareness of the harms of tobacco products and encouraging tobacco users to quit, taking an important step toward a healthier life.

“Our focus to combine lung cancer awareness with the GASO Health Fair was to educate our active duty members and dependents on the signs and symptoms of lung cancer, encourage people to quit using tobacco, avoid second-hand smoke and to encourage early screening for lung cancer,” said Summer Banks, a member of the Radiation Oncology Warriors of Hope Committee.

As the U. S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating military treatment facility since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally acclaimed, state of the art medical center, including its ten branch and TRICARE Prime clinics, serves the Hampton Roads area.  Additionally, NMCP offers premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsmen for future roles in healing and wellness.

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