Organizations that Help Shape Community and Public Health

Case Study 2

Scenario:
Mary is a hardworking senior at the local university. She is majoring in physical
education and looking forward to teaching elementary physical education after
graduation. Mary has always been involved in team sports and has been a lifeguard at
the local swimming pool for the past 4 years. Mary has a fair complexion with honey-
blonde hair and blue eyes. She has always tanned easily, so has not bothered very
much with sunscreens. For the past few weeks, Mary has noticed a red, scaly, sharply
outlined patch of skin on her forehead. She has put creams and ointments on it, but it
will not go away and may be getting larger. Her roommate, Clare, suggests that she
should make an appointment with the campus health services office. Mary lets it go
another week and then decides to see the doctor.
After looking at the patch of skin, the doctor refers Mary to a specialist, Dr. Rice, who is
a dermatologist. The dermatologist suggests a biopsy be taken of the lesion to test for
skin cancer. The specialist tells Mary that if it is cancer, it is probably still in its early
stages and so the prognosis is good. A potential diagnosis of cancer often raises a lot of
questions and concerns.

Please answer the following questions:

1. What type of health agency do you think will be of most help to Mary?

2. If this scenario were to happen to someone in your community, what

recommendations would you give to him or her on seeking help from health
agencies?

3. The Internet has many sources of information that could help Mary. Use a search
engine (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo) and enter the word “cancer.” Find the website of
one governmental health agency at the national level and one voluntary health
agency that might be able to help her. Explain how these agencies could be of help.

4. If Mary did not have Internet access, how would you suggest she find out about local
health agencies in her area that could help her?