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CMS – Tuesday, February 24, 2026
The Test She Almost Skipped: How State-Offered Cancer Screening Made the Difference
Cancer. The word that brings fear and uncertainty to anyone’s life upon hearing it. Whether you have battled it or have loved ones that have experienced it, when you hear a diagnosis, your world suddenly shifts. You’ll want to know sooner rather than later. Getting diagnosed early is essential to recovering, and in some cases surviving.
Today, Lisa Huppert — District 9 Safety Representative for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) — is skin cancer free thanks to a screening test offered by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) Be Well initiative and Aetna. She coordinated with CMS to offer testing for her team in April of 2024, when 297 employees were screened across 5 districts. Huppert, who spends many days out in the field for her job, decided to participate on a whim when spots became vacant.
“I initially didn’t sign up, as I wanted to ensure all of our field personnel had the first opportunity to do so, particularly since I scheduled it in conjunction with other annual screenings that are program requirements for most of our field personnel. We had screenings scheduled for two days. When slots were left open, and a few remained after walk-ins, I happily took a slot,” Huppert said.
The practitioner who conducted the test found some suspicious spots. Huppert was among 30% of employees who were referred for severe findings. When Huppert visited a dermatologist, they confirmed she had skin cancer. This news hit close to home because she watched her father battle his skin cancer a decade ago.
In the United States, more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. When it comes to survival rate, the odds of becoming skin cancer free depend on when it’s first diagnosed. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that when skin cancer is detected early, the 5-year survival rate for someone with melanoma is 99%.
Thankfully, Lisa Huppert’s State screening led to the detection of her skin cancer at an early stage. After a few biopsies, one showed she had Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), one of the most common types of skin cancer that is highly treatable when found early.
“I’ve always loved the outdoors. As a young person, I almost never used sunscreen, often used tanning oils, and even used tanning beds. Thinking about my cumulative exposure over the years, and all my dad went through during his cancer removal and subsequent treatments, I thought these screenings would be the perfect opportunity to get checked without having to make a doctor’s appointment or miss work,” Huppert said.
After Huppert’s diagnosis, her dermatologist was able to remove the cancerous cells. She has gone back for follow-ups and has remained cancer free.
“I strongly recommend participating in the skin cancer screening program. As someone who spends a significant amount of time outdoors for both work and recreation, this service proved to be a vital tool in detecting early-stage skin cancer. The cancer was removed in-office, with no need for radiation or additional invasive treatments. Prior to the screening, I had not noticed any changes in skin color or texture in the affected area. Fortunately, a trained medical provider identified an abnormality and referred me to a dermatologist for prompt care,” Huppert said.
If you want to know more about skin cancer or other types of cancer you can visit the Illinois Department of Public Health website at dph.illinois.gov for more information. For more information on wellness topics and events throughout the year, follow Be Well at Be Well Illinois.
