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Ochsner Health and Chevron Expand Program on Smoking Cessation and Education

Ochsner Health and Chevron Expand Program on Smoking Cessation and Education

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Chevron and Ochsner Health have expanded their Lung Cancer Awareness, Education and Prevention Program thanks to a $50,000 donation from Chevron. Because of Chevron’s generosity, the program will continue to reach community members in St. Tammany Parish and impact more lives in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Ascension, St. Charles, Terrebonne, and Lafourche parishes.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable deaths. Louisiana has one of the highest smoking rates in the United States. Ochsner Health and Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit formed a key partnership to create the Lung Cancer Awareness, Education and Prevention Program to improve lung health and overall wellness. This critical initiative launched in November 2021 in St. Tammany Parish. Since then, the two organizations have worked together to improve resources and education around smoking cessation and overall lung health.

As part of these efforts, a public service announcement highlighting the story of Caitlin Hunter, a Chevron employee and Northshore native who lost two family members to lung cancer, will air on television throughout communities within the new locations.

Chevron’s funding is also supporting the following program initiatives:

  • Encouraging early testing and diagnostics such as low-dose CT scans and lung cancer screening tests to significantly increase the chances of survival from lung cancer in certain high-risk populations.
  • Visits to high schools to educate students about the dangers of vaping and smoking and to provide smoking cessation resources.
  • Education on how to identify stressors and triggers leading to smoking habits.
  • Smoking cessation tools to identify and utilize health mechanisms for managing stress.

In November 2022, the high school education program will include a lunch-and-learn component for parents presented by Chevron Wellness Staff in observance of Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

“We are excited to expand the smoking cessation program and help it reach more communities than ever before,” said Leah Brown, Corporate Affairs Manager for Chevron. “Our partnership with Ochsner Health provides early interventions for one of our most vulnerable populations – youth. It is our hope that this effort will combat the negative impacts that result from smoking and vaping, as well as decrease incidences of lung cancer. Chevron is proud to be a part of this important program.”

The Lung Cancer Awareness, Education and Prevention Program is part of Healthy State by 2030, a bold initiative by Ochsner Health and key public and private partners to improve the state of health for Louisiana and lift national health rankings to the top 40 by 2030.

America’s Health Rankings has identified smoking as one of the top 20 drivers of poor health in Louisiana. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths in the United States every year. It damages nearly every organ and is associated with heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The Healthy State plan builds upon Ochsner’s effective smoking cessation program, which combines counseling with medications to create a personalized treatment plan. The program changes participants’ lives by allowing them to imagine healthier futures for themselves.

“Louisiana ranks near the bottom in nearly all health measures. With partnerships like ours with Chevron, we can take steps forward in building a healthier region through enhancing healthcare access, health equity, and health outcomes. Ochsner Health is committed to building a healthier region to live and thrive. We are grateful for our partnership with Chevron and their continued support as we continue working to lower smoking rates in our state,” said Leonardo Seoane, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Ochsner Health.

If you or a loved one is interested in these life-saving services like smoking cessation or want to learn more about the program, visit Ochsner.org/quit to schedule an appointment. To learn more about Ochsner Health's lung cancer multidisciplinary program and screening, visit Ochsner.org/services/lung-cancer-multi-disciplinary-program. For more information about Chevron, visit Chevron.com.

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About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating 80 years in 2022, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and heart transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including over 700 clinical studies. It has more than 36,000 employees and over 4,600 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2021, Ochsner Health treated more than 1 million people from every state and 75 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.