Left to right: Maryrose Murphy, CAP Foundation executive director; Dr. Eva Wojcik, Foundation vice president; and Dr. Carey Z. August, Foundation president, pose at a Loyola See, Test & Treat event.

Foundation Supports Pathologists and Patients in 2020

You know how difficult this year has been. I probably don’t need to spell it out, but I will say I’m so proud of pathologists everywhere who have stepped up to meet a health crisis unprecedented in our careers. We’ve redefined our dedication to quality patient care through the medical laboratory, and the CAP Foundation has adapted to support pathologists and their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carey Z. August, MD, FCAP, CAP Foundation president

See, Test & Treat continued safely as planned at several host sites in 2020, providing free breast and cervical cancer screening during a time when health and financial strain are top of mind for many families across the nation. While some host sites decided to defer their programs to 2021, eight institutions hosted See, Test & Treat events, serving hundreds of women with essential health care and education.

Health care disparities in the US persist as a major issue highlighted by the fallout from the pandemic and the continued fight for racial equity. The CAP Foundation is proud to provide care to some of our most at-risk communities during a time of dire need.

In the spring, we were able to quickly pivot to address the needs of laboratories working tirelessly to implement COVID-19 testing. This relief came in the form of the John H. Rippey Grant for Expedited Research.

Five research projects were awarded funding to investigate saliva testing for the virus, correlation of outcomes from convalescent plasma transfusions, lot-to-lot test kit variation, and informatics driven analysis of seropositivity and disease severity.

In the era of Zoom meetings and virtual meetups, the CAP Foundation successfully transitioned to online initiatives. The new Gerald R. Hanson, MD, Global Pathology Fund provided free education to several pathologists outside the US with complimentary CAP memberships and admission to CAP20 Virtual. Donors also did their part while staying socially distanced during September with the first-ever virtual 5K to support See, Test & Treat. Their running, walking, rolling, and fundraising brought in $28,000 to help solidify the future of the Foundation.

Thank you to all the supporters of the CAP Foundation, to the pathologists and laboratory professionals in the field, and to Guillermo G. Martinez-Torres, MD, FCAP. Without your leadership as president of the CAP Foundation, I’m sure it would have been a more difficult year with fewer silver linings to pluck from the gray.

I will do my best to take what I’ve learned in 2020 into my years as president. I look forward to working with all of you in growing a reliable, agile, and effective CAP Foundation to serve pathologists and patients, no matter the challenge.

Sincerely,
Carey Z. August, MD, FCAP
President, CAP Foundation