As a 20-year thyroid cancer survivor, Shannon Akers of Sullivan, Mo., is super vigilant when it comes to her health. She’s also been a nurse for the last 32 years and understands how important it is to prioritize one’s health with regular checkups and screenings. When her family medicine physician, Dr. Om Sam, noticed a change in her thyroid numbers at her checkup in December 2023, they were both equally concerned.