Celebrating Philanthropy that Fights Cancer

We’re excited to share some wonderful progress in our local fight against cancer, made possible by the generosity of the American Cancer Society (ACS)! Thanks to a grant, six rural Confluence Health clinics have made significant strides in boosting colorectal cancer screening rates for our community.

Leading this important project were two dedicated members of the Confluence Quality Analytics team: Kimberly Fischer, Cancer Program Quality Coordinator, and Sheila Danielson, Advisory Data Reporting Analyst. Their mission? To get more people aged 45-49 to take part in lifesaving screenings. That’s not a mistake —screening used to be recommended at 50 but was recently lowered to 45 due to a rise in cases among younger adults.

Many patients may not realize that screening guidelines have changed or may not know the importance of catching colorectal cancer early. Regular screenings can save lives by detecting cancer at an early, treatable stage—or even preventing it altogether by finding and removing precancerous polyps.

To tackle this challenge, the team educated clinic staff about the updated guidelines and reached out to patients in multiple ways—including MyChart messages and phone calls—to encourage them to return their screening kits. The committed teams at Omak, Methow, Oroville, Tonasket, Waterville, and Brewster clinics were critical to making this powerful work happen.

The results have been inspiring: most participating clinics saw an increase in colorectal cancer screening rates. This success shows that combining staff education with patient follow-up really works.

One powerful example: a 47-year-old patient who felt healthy and had a negative screening result just three years prior received a positive result this time around. Thanks to early detection, treatment was able to start right away, making a lifesaving difference. What could have been a devastating diagnosis is now a story of hope and survival.

Support from the American Cancer Society goes beyond just funding screening initiatives. ACS also provides transportation grants, helping to cover travel costs so that no one in our region has to miss a critical cancer care appointment because of distance or expense.

Through their commitment to funding innovative projects and ensuring accessible care for all, the American Cancer Society is helping our neighbors, friends, and families stay healthier and catch cancer earlier. We’re deeply grateful for their leadership and unwavering support!