Yanet Munoz, third from left, with the Sutter surgical team that includes Dr. Saad Aziz, to her left.
By Yanet Luna, Vitals contributor
Farmworker Yanet Munoz of Williams got some disappointing news after doing a non-invasive colon cancer test at home: Her test came back positive for cancer, and she would need a colonoscopy to confirm a correct diagnosis.
Munoz, a recent widow, had no health insurance or ability to pay for a colonoscopy. However, once alerted to the positive test results, the nonprofit agency Operation Access immediately connected her with Dr. Saad Aziz, a gastroenterologist affiliated with Sutter Health in Yuba City.
Yanet Munoz relaxes at the Sutter surgery center after the colonoscopy.
Dr. Aziz performed a colonoscopy on Munoz at Sutter North Surgery Center in Yuba City, and the results showed the at-home test had produced a false-positive.
“When I heard the word ‘cancer,’ I was frightened,” Munoz said. “But now I feel happy and relieved that the results came back negative.”
Munoz is one of hundreds of patients that were able to access care through Sutter’s “Gift of Surgery” program. Since 2009, Sutter physicians and clinicians and care teams have participated in more than 8,100 surgical procedures and diagnostics services for patients who are uninsured and cannot afford care. The program, which started in the Bay Area, has now come to the Yuba-Sutter region; Munoz’s procedure was the first to be performed at Sutter in Yuba City.
In the first half of 2024, Sutter performed 224 surgical free procedures and diagnostic services. The not-for-profit health system expects to complete nearly 500 surgeries in total by the end of the year.
“Gift of Surgery is a wonderful program that ensures that patients who may not have access to the care they need, now have a way to get these procedures done in a timely manner,” said Dr. Aziz.
Yanet Munoz is all smiles as she is wheeled out after the successful colonoscopy.
“Sutter Health invests deeply in our communities to close healthcare gaps, increase access to care and improve individual and community wellness,” said Kelly Brenk, senior director of Community Health at Sutter. “The ‘Gift of Surgery’ program is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when we work with not-for-profit community partners to improve the overall health of our communities.”
More than 100 Sutter doctors volunteer their time and expertise to perform outpatient surgeries and procedures, including hernia repairs, colonoscopies, cataract surgeries, knee alignment repair, gall bladder removal and more.
“We envision a future where everybody can get the medical care that they need, when they need it, and our partnership with Sutter Health allows us to make that reality come true,” said Ali Balick, Operation Access program director.
See a video of Munoz’s journey and her “Gift of Surgery” by clicking here.
