We have been contacted by the Public Health team in England. We are pleased there is to be a new campaign on health including raising awareness of lung cancer and the importance of early detection.
The team supporting this are keen to involve people with lung cancer who would feature as case studies. They have some specific features that need to be matched. If you would be interested in becoming involved and match most of the features below:
•Aged over 50 when diagnosed
•Diagnosed at an early stage
•Completed your treatment
•Were treated by the NHS, having had a positive experience
•Experienced a persistent cough
Can you get in touch with me on 0333 323 7200 option 2 or email lorraine.dallas@roycastle.org
best wishes
Lorraine
Written by
LorraineD
Partner
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We know that lung cancer affects people of all ages, including some in their 20s, 30s and 40s. The median age of people when diagnosed with nsclc is 73, so the focus of the campaign is on getting the message to as wide an age range as possible.
Our charity will be doing more work this autumn around Lung Cancer Awareness Month highlighting the diversity of people affected,
Admittedly this came from an article in the Daily Mail of this last Saturday 13th May, but the article highlighted how what the writer called "celebrity endorsed" illnesses received greater funding. Amongst other alarming statistics, it stated lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer and more men than bowel and prostate cancer combined. Is that not a very surprising anomaly or is it a reflection of how ineffective lung cancer is to treat by comparison? Also, molecular testing of lung cancer is performed in less than 30% of cases in the NHS whereas in France, it's 70% and rising. I have wondered whether if I hadn't declined standard palliative chemotherapy, would my biopsy have been shown to reveal the EGFR mutation ... a couple of months later I might add. I know there's a considerable cost difference involved in the treatment I declined and the treatment I have since received. There's a world of difference between the side-effects involved.
Basically, lung cancer is not "fashionable". OK, it's one of the hardest cancers to treat and thank goodness for our own celebrity Roy Castle, but maybe there's something in these statistics. Is lung cancer some kind of Cinderella illness which is inaccurately perceived as avoidable, lifestyle (smoking) related and therefore less worthy of funding? As I chart my way through my own illness, I seem to find so many surprises, disappointments and also inspirations. Very well done to anyone who's raising the profile of this disease and helping in any way. Keep up that good work!
In terms of small cell lung cancer this will be part of the campaign, as symptoms can be similar. It can be an agressive tumour type, though frequency is declining and is 11% of UK lung cancer diagnosis. Research and support are equally important for those affected.
Awareness raising and profile is a tricky one and media coverage is not always sympathetic. This gives those of us who work on lung cancer a challenge but fuels our determination to change those statistics. One key issue of improving outcomes is encouraging early diagnosis. This spans promoting awareness of symptoms, encouraging people concerned to take action, encouraging GP's to engage with people's concerns and supporting evidence for a national screening programme. These are areas we as a charity are committed to working on and improving.
We are hoping this will be part of our Lung Cancer Awareness Month activity in November, there will be many opportunities to get involved.
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