Everest Primary Care
The Brett Standard
Brett did not qualify for a lung cancer screening. He met his doctors, he followed the process, and at the end of it he was told he did not meet the criteria. He went without the scan. And then he was gone.
Brett's wife, Ann Bruer, APRN, FNP-C, knows what it feels like to do everything right and still lose. She knows what it feels like to wonder whether an earlier scan would have changed the outcome. And she knows that Brett's story is not unique. There are people right now who are sitting in the same position he was, told they do not qualify, sent home without answers, and left to hope that nothing quietly grew inside them that a scan would have found.
The Brett Standard exists because of what happened to Brett, and because of what should never have happened to anyone else.
What The Brett Standard Is
The Brett Standard is a non-profit initiative created in Brett's honor by Everest Primary Care to fund lung cancer screenings for military service members who fall outside the current clinical eligibility criteria but whose history, exposure, and risk profile suggest a real and unaddressed need for screening.
Current guidelines recommend annual low-dose CT lung cancer screening for adults aged 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Those guidelines exist for good reasons. But they do not capture everyone who is at risk. Military service members are exposed to environmental toxins, burn pits, chemical agents, and occupational hazards that do not show up in a smoking history calculation.
The Brett Standard says that if a military service member needs a scan, they should be able to get one. No referral required. No eligibility barrier standing between them and the information that could save their life.
Why Military Service Members Are at Greater Risk
Military service creates lung cancer risk factors that go beyond smoking history. Service members who deployed to combat zones in the Middle East and Southwest Asia were exposed to open-air burn pits that released toxic smoke from the burning of waste, chemicals, and military equipment. Others were exposed to Agent Orange, asbestos, jet fuel, and industrial chemicals depending on their era and branch of service. These exposures are well documented as contributors to serious lung disease, and lung cancer is among the conditions that have been linked to military environmental exposure.
Despite this, many veterans and active service members do not meet the standard smoking-based eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening. Their risk is real. The system just was not built to see it.
The Brett Standard was built to fill that gap.
How Your Donation Helps
Every donation to The Brett Standard directly funds low-dose CT lung cancer screenings for military service members who would otherwise be denied access to this potentially life-saving preventive service.
A single donation can cover the cost of one scan for one service member who was told they did not qualify. That scan could find something early. Finding something early changes everything. It is the difference between a conversation about treatment options and a conversation about time remaining.
Brett did not get that scan. Your donation helps make sure the next person does.
How to Donate
Every contribution, regardless of size, goes directly toward funding screenings for military service members in need. Donations to The Brett Standard support the non-profit arm of Everest Primary Care and are used exclusively to fund lung cancer screenings for qualifying military service members who fall outside standard eligibility criteria.
If you have questions about the fund, how donations are used, or how a military service member can apply to receive a funded screening, contact Ann Bruer, APRN, FNP-C and the Everest Primary Care team directly at 816-371-8677.
In Brett's Memory
Brett deserved that scan. He did everything right and the system still said no. The Brett Standard exists so that the next person who does everything right gets a different answer.
No referral required. No eligibility barrier. Just a scan, and the chance it brings with it.
This is his standard now.
If You Are a Military Service Member
At Everest Primary Care, lung cancer screening awareness in Kansas City is part of a broader commitment to preventive medicine that gives patients the information and support they need to stay ahead of serious illness. If you or someone you care about may be eligible for lung cancer screening, the clinic is here to have that conversation, answer questions, and help take the next step.
If you are a military service member who has been told you do not qualify for lung cancer screening, we want to hear from you. Ann Bruer, APRN, FNP-C and the Everest Primary Care team have established The Brett Standard: No Referral Required, a non-profit initiative created to fund screenings for military service members whose exposure history and risk profile fall outside the standard eligibility criteria. Learn more and find out how to apply or donate at The Brett Standard page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? Call us at 816-371-8677 or book an appointment online.
The Brett Standard is a non-profit initiative created in memory of Brett by Everest Primary Care to fund lung cancer screenings for military service members who do not meet the standard clinical eligibility criteria for screening but whose exposure history and risk profile indicate a genuine need for evaluation.
The Brett Standard funds low-dose CT lung cancer screenings specifically for military service members who fall outside the current United States Preventive Services Task Force eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening. This includes veterans and active service members whose lung cancer risk is related to military environmental exposures such as burn pits, Agent Orange, asbestos, and other occupational hazards rather than smoking history alone.
Current lung cancer screening guidelines are based primarily on smoking history and age. They do not fully account for the environmental and occupational exposures that many military service members experienced during their service. Burn pit exposure, chemical agent contact, and other military-specific hazards create lung cancer risk that falls outside the standard eligibility framework, leaving many veterans and service members without access to screening they genuinely need.
Donations go directly toward funding the cost of low-dose CT lung cancer screenings for military service members who qualify for support through The Brett Standard. Funds are not used for administrative overhead or general clinic operations. Every contribution supports the specific mission of getting eligible military service members scanned.
Military service members who believe they may benefit from a funded lung cancer screening through The Brett Standard can contact Everest Primary Care directly at 816-371-8677 to discuss eligibility and next steps. The clinic will work with each individual to understand their exposure history and determine whether a funded screening is appropriate.
Yes. Many people who support The Brett Standard do so in memory of a loved one whose story mirrors Brett's in some way. If you would like to make a donation in honor or in memory of someone, contact Everest Primary Care to discuss how your contribution can be designated and recognized.
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