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Published on October 1, 2007
Contact: Julie Monzo
Phone: 800-323-4040, ext. 7538
E-mail: media@cap.org
The College of American Pathologists Honors Grayslake Resident with Outstanding Communicator Award
Northfield, IL.—Nora L. Bowers, of Grayslake, Ill., was honored for her outstanding contributions to enhance the image of pathology and for serving as a strong advocate for the profession, as well as women’s health issues, during a ceremony held in Chicago on Sept. 29, 2007, at the annual meeting of the College of American Pathologists, CAP ’07 – The Pathologists’ Meeting™. This award is traditionally given to a pathologist; Ms. Bowers is the first patient to receive this honor.
Ms. Bowers received the Outstanding Communicator Award in honor of William L. Kuehn, PhD, for her efforts to raise public awareness about the important role pathologists play in patient care and diagnosing illnesses, including cervical cancer.
Prior to 2001, Ms. Bowers, a wife, teacher, and busy mother of two young children, avoided getting a regular Pap test. As many women do, she focused on her family, not herself. When she finally had a Pap test, abnormal cells were detected, which later proved to be cervical cancer. At the age of 29, Ms. Bowers underwent a hysterectomy, which may have been avoided if she had received regular cervical cancer screening tests.
“It is truly an honor to receive the Outstanding Communicator Award from the College of American Pathologists,” said Bowers. “Sharing my personal story as a cervical cancer survivor and educating others about the role of the pathologist has been a personal mission of mine, because if it weren’t for my pathologist, I’m not sure I would be here today.”
Ms. Bowers is now cancer-free and often shares her personal story as a cervical cancer survivor to help educate women about the importance of receiving their regular Pap tests. She is a featured speaker at the College of American Pathologists’ annual Spokespersons Training program, communicating her story with pathologists about how she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and the important role pathologists play in patient care. In addition, Ms. Bowers has appeared on television, often side-by-side with a pathologist, discussing the unnecessary risks women face if they do not get regular Pap tests. She also has been published in the Chicago Tribune.
Currently, Ms. Bowers resides with her husband, son, and daughter in Grayslake, Ill., a northern suburb of Chicago. She is an English teacher at Grayslake Central High School and a freelance writer.
The College of American Pathologists is a medical society that serves nearly 16,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world. It is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of pathologists and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The CAP is an advocate for high quality and cost-effective patient care.
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