Bridgewater students help write Steinhardt lung cancer screening bill

A bill largely crafted by a group of Bridgewater high school students that would expand awareness of lung cancer screenings for first responders and veterans was unanimously approved Monday by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.

Students from Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s chapter of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative authored much of the legislation and worked with State Sen. Doug Steinhardt (R-Lopatcong) to get it introduced in the Senate.

The proposal would establish the New Jersey First Responder and Veteran Lung Cancer Screening Awareness and Referral Program.

“Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in New Jersey, and sadly, it is often caught too late,” Steinhardt said.

State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) joined Steinhardt in sponsoring the bipartisan measure.

The bill would require the Department of Health to develop and distribute information about lung cancer risk factors, eligibility for low-dose CT screenings and the benefits of early detection.  It would also establish an online directory of screening facilities and voluntary referral protocols.

Steinhardt said firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and veterans can face heightened risks of lung cancer and respiratory illnesses because of occupational hazards and environmental exposures.

“This bill is about making sure our first responders and veterans know the risks, understand when they should be screened, and can easily access potentially life-saving resources,” he said.

Srikrishna Dowlapalli, president of the Bridgewater-Raritan chapter, said many first responders and veterans are unaware they may qualify for screenings.

“I am immensely grateful to Senator Steinhardt and the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee for moving the bill forward,” Dowlapalli stated.