A local physician is raising money for the purchase of medical equipment to take to Honduras for a good cause. Dr. Susan Aycock is setting up a program in the country for others to learn how to screen and treat cervical pre-cancers. Having a thermal ablation device to leave with the community would complete their training program.
She developed a step-by-step guide to screen and treat using practices and documents from the World Health Organization.
“I can teach them to screen, but what good will it do if I don’t teach them to treat?” said Aycock.
Thermal ablation is used to treat different types of cancer. It uses extreme temperatures (thermal) to destroy (ablate) cancer cells. Each of these devices are $1,600, but the impact it will have in Honduras is priceless.
Aycock is seeking funds for just one.
She began her career in Bladen County in 1990. She’s delivered over 2,000 babies, and has been semi retired for the last 6 years.
She is currently employed by the Columbus County Health Department and recently obtained her Master’s Degree in International Health. Her thesis for her studies was the treatment of cervical cancer in low-income countries.
“I’ve devoted my whole career to women’s health. I will feel like a failure if I don’t do something when 90 percent of women in underdeveloped countries are dying of cervical cancer,” Aycock expressed.
She recently completed a missionary trip to Nicaragua with the Columbus Baptist Association to work with the On Eagles Wings organization. She has a trip planned of her own, from Aug. 21-27, to deliver the equipment and complete the training of the medical personnel who will use it.
A GoFundMe account was recently started to aid in Aycock’s plight to eliminate cervical cancer in undeveloped countries. If you would like to donate to the cause, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-help-eliminate-cervical-cancer.
