VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — At the height of the pandemic, as doctors worked overtime to treat skyrocketing COVID-19 cases, other medical procedures took a backseat. That included preventative cancer screenings.
Now health experts are warning that could have deadly consequences in the years to come; because although people may have skipped cancer screenings, they never stopped getting cancer.
Norfolk resident Yvonne Dammar-Freckleton got some bad news during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Stage two,” she said.
Her cancer diagnosis came in 2020 after she noticed something was off.
"I felt a lump on the top of my breast,” Dammar-Freckleton explained.
At the time, COVID cases were on the rise and Virginia was heading towards mandatory stay-at-home orders. Non-coronavirus medical procedures were on the backburner.
“I was scared. I’m not going to lie. I was scared," Dammar-Freckleton said.
Health experts say there was a big drop in cancer screenings, testing, and treatments at the start of the pandemic and we’re still not entirely back on track.
The National Cancer Institute has issued a dire warning: thousands of people could die over the next decade from cancers that could have been detected earlier, had the COVID pandemic not interrupted the healthcare industry.
Sentara’s Director of Oncology Service Line, Meredith Strand said 35% of patients missed a recommended cancer screening during the pandemic.
“When COVID first hit, we were down to zero for most screenings," Strand said. "Facilities were having to really focus on the pandemic and patients that needed emergent care.”
She said Sentara officials put a temporary hold on screenings as COVID cases skyrocketed - but even when that lifted, not everyone rushed in.
“We are quite concerned about those that have not had their screenings, that have missed a year or a couple of years, and what that might mean for later stage diagnoses," Strand said.
Strand said if you fell behind on your screenings, now is the time to make an appointment.
“We know that just there are a lot of priorities right now with COVID and the many changes, so to some degree it’s procrastination," she said. "If a patient is not symptomatic, now doesn’t really feel like the time."
Cancers like breast and colorectal can be treated easier if caught early. Staying on top of regular screenings is key to prevention.
Sentara healthcare officials want you to know, heading back into a medical building is safe and it could save your life.
For Yvonne Dammar-Freckleton, going to the doctor during the pandemic to get that lump checked out might have been the difference between life and death.
“I don’t even know if I would be here sitting down talking with you, to be honest," Dammar-Freckleton said. “Life is too important, life is too precious. For me, right now, I’m so blessed. I’m grateful to God.”
Strand said cancer screenings returned to near pre-pandemic levels this summer, but there are many people who are still reluctant – including racial minorities, those in rural communities, and people who speak English as a second language.
She said the hospital is working on community outreach to ensure no patients fall through the cracks.