Bridgeport, W.Va.— Lung and breast cancer are two of the most prevalent cancers nationwide. In West Virginia, those statistics are higher than the national average. If caught early, these cancers can be treated, giving patients a greater chance for a positive outcome.
Nick Baker, M.D., a thoracic surgeon at the WVU Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute and WVU Cancer Institute, knows this all too well. Every day he treats patients with a lung cancer diagnosis. But it’s also deeply personal. Dr. Baker’s own mother, Veronica, passed away from lung cancer in early 2026.
After his mom was diagnosed, Dr. Baker wanted to find a way to honor her and expand access to early detection and CT screenings, especially for those who can’t afford them.
Baker and his family established the Veronica Baker Low Dose CT-Scan Fund through the United Health Foundation at WVU Medicine United Hospital Center earlier this year. The fund is used to help uninsured patients at UHC get access to mammograms and life-saving CT lung screenings. In less than a year, the fund has already helped multiple patients at United Hospital Center.
To help expand access to these life-saving screenings, United Hospital Center will host “An Afternoon for Hope” to support Veronica’s Fund. The event celebrates the national Pink & Pearl healthcare initiative that pairs breast cancer screenings with lung cancer risk assessments. The event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, from 1-3 p.m. at the Bridgeport Country Club in Bridgeport, West Virginia. For tickets or more information on the Pink and Pearl Event visit uhcpinkandpearl.com.
Early screening and detection can change outcomes for patients. Healthcare systems have focused on early detection and screening for breast cancer.
Dr. Baker hopes this effort will create a pathway to reach a population of patients who would benefit from both mammograms and lung cancer screenings. Veronica’s Fund and awareness programs like Pink & Pearl are helping to build a successful pathway for eligible patients by providing both a mammogram and lung cancer screening on the same day.
“With the help of the United Health Foundation, we were able to set up this fund,” Dr. Baker said. “My mom instilled the importance of education early on, and she was the reason I went to college. I felt it was a great way to honor how much she meant to me and to help patients who needed that support. Although my mom was a very humble person, she would be happy to know that Veronica’s Fund is helping to remove barriers to screenings for people who need it most. We hope this fund will grow, and we can expand support to people all over the state. She wouldn’t want to leave out any of her fellow Mountaineers.”
For more information about the Veronica Baker Low-Dose CT Fund or to help provide patients with access to low-dose CT scans, please visit the WVU Medicine United Health Foundation at givetouhc.org.
