 August 1st marks World Lung Cancer Day spreading awareness on causes and prevention. Pike County currently is ranked not tinked out of 120 counties in Kentucky for lung cancer prevalence so we're still fairly high on the list. This day serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of early detection and ongoing research efforts of this daily disease. Know what the signs and symptoms are at the American Lung Association recommends knowing the signs and symptoms and then getting regular checkups but the sign and symptoms are there's seven major signs and symptoms to watch for and they are chest pain, persistent cough, bone pain or if you have reoccurring or persistent or chronic emphysema bronchitis pneumonia. There's also shortness of breath or persistent hoarseness or sudden weight loss so look for those signs and symptoms and be going to your doctor on a regular basis. When my baby was born it was magical and as she grew having a hospital close to home with advanced healthcare and specialized physicians being there along the journey was important and along that journey many special doctors touched our lives and then one day my baby became a woman and a mother herself. Pikeville Medical Center caring for every moment in life. To support the community's health the Pike County Health Department offers free services to combat lung cancer. So there's a variety of resources that the Pike County Health Department has for Pike County residents that are at no cost to the individual. There is the American Lung Association approved smoking cessation program called Freedom from Smoking. That program includes free nicotine replacement products. Also there is a program through the Kentucky Department of Public Health for free rate on test kits. To take advantage of these free services or to learn more about lung cancer prevention and checkups contact the Pike County Health Department at 606-509-5500. Reporting from Mountain Top News, I'm Ethan Miller.