SCARBOROUGH (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- The rate of new lung cancer cases a year in Maine is higher than the national rate and the percentage of cases caught early is nearly 40% lower than the national average, according to the American Lung Association.
November is Lung Cancer Awareness month and one Maine grandfather is sharing his story to help others. He says he smoked three packs a day for 50 years and if he didn't follow doctor's orders to get a scan, his time with his family would be cut short.
By the looks of the camera roll on his phone, it's clear Jay Nash loves his dog. When it comes to his grandchildren however, he would do anything for them. Like quit smoking: a habit he started when he was 18-years-old.
"It doesn't look very pretty but, it's the real thing," said Nash as he held up his phone, showing a picture of himself in the hospital. "I decided [to quit smoking] when my daughter asked me to. She said I want you around for your grandson's graduation so I said 'OK.'"
Five years ago, he kicked the habit, and so did his wife. It was around the holidays one year ago though, when he learned he would have to do more to save his life.
"That's me again, in the hospital," he said showing another photo.
It was a diagnosis he discovered, just because he was following doctor's orders.
"He just said, 'you know it's time, get it done,'" said Nash.
He had lung cancer.
"I didn't know that I had that," he said. "It didn't feel like it."
Nash underwent the low-dose CT lung cancer screening. It's a CT scan that uses a low dose of radiation to look for nodules, small round masses of tissue, in the lungs. While they are common some can be a sign of cancer.
"The way I would describe it to a patient is it's almost like slicing a loaf of bread," said Theresa Roelke, a nurse practitioner for the lung screening program at Maine Medical Center. "So you have a bunch a series of pictures of the lungs and you can get a really good sense of what's happening deep down in the lungs."
She says people often can have lung cancer and not even have a clue, because there can be no sign of symptoms. Screening is recommended for former and current smokers ages 55 to 77.
She says the images can motivate a smoker to quit if they see the toll the tobacco is taking on their lungs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking is the leading risk factor for lung cancer.
The smoking rate in Maine is nearly 20%. That's higher than the national average of roughly 17%.
"My thoracic surgeon said my primary care doctor is the guy I should be thanking," said Nash. "And I said, 'don't worry, I've already written a letter.'"
After undergoing chemotherapy, Jay Nash is in remission and ready to spend time around the Christmas tree with his dog, Shelby, and grandchildren.
"Go get scanned. It'll save your life," he said.
If you want to quit smoking help is available. The Maine Tobacco help line is 1-800-207-1230.