Hiddenite Woman Receives Life Saving Screening At Iredell Family Care In Taylorsville

When Diane Alberts went for her regular checkup at Iredell Family Care Center of Taylorsville, a lung cancer screening was the last thing she thought she needed.

Nichole Lemley, FNP-C at Iredell Family Care Center of Taylorsville, asked Alberts who her pulmonologist was after learning of her 40-year history of smoking cigarettes.
“I had never needed one,” shared Alberts. “I wasn’t sick (other than some hoarseness). Nichole told me we should go ahead and do a lung cancer screening to be on the safe side.”
Alberts received a low-dose CT screening, revealing a mass in her lung.

“I was stunned when Nichole called me. I’m not one to dwell on things, and after a few days, I said ‘The Lord’s going to get me through this.”
“I have known Diane for more than 15 years,” said Lemley. “She is a special person in my life, so when she chose me as her primary care provider, I felt honored. She came from a previous provider who did not have the capability to offer low dose lung CT, so we felt it was necessary to move forward with assessing for any abnormalities. Thankfully we were able to complete this scan promptly and found the mass.”
Alberts was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma. It had spread to her liver at the time of diagnosis. She then learned that the hoarseness she had been experiencing was an early symptom of lung cancer.
“Had Nichole not ordered the scan, I would have never known. She’s good at what she does. If you’re a previous smoker or you’re still smoking, go get the scan.”
Since learning about the mass, she has completely stopped smoking.

Today, Alberts is receiving chemotherapy and immunotherapy in addition to other medications. Her daughter, Brittany Frazier, has been a solid source of comfort and support for her throughout this process in addition to her church family.

“If it wasn’t for my little church that keeps me prayed up, I don’t know what I’d do. Have the scan, then give it to the Lord.”

Adults aged 50 to 80 years who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years should be regularly screened for lung cancer. Talk to your provider about low-dose CT.