In 2000, I was diagnosed with inoperable NSCLC. A devastating thing for anyone. I was treated at the Beatson in Glasgow, with chemotherapy and radiotherapy over the next months.
Eventually, the large tumor in my right lung began to shrink and I decided to return to work. My wife and I had been with Roy Castle, almost since the start of my treatment, and still are. I am an Advocate and Reader with the organisation. I am also a research assistant with the Cancer Care Research Group at Stirling University, having worked at the Uni for about 14 years. In 2011, I received an Honorary MA degree from Stirling University, mostly for my work in helping to promote cancer care research.
I was also involved recently in promoting the Detect Cancer Early Campaign, which Sir Alex Ferguson fronted.
Written by
Billcul
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Hi, I am well thank you. My laptop is playing u and my phone isn’t helping much. Didn’t recognise my password. I forgot I’d rectified the 17 or 19 years thing, so glad I did. Must have been thinking of my marriage, which celebrates 20 years in a couple of weeks.
Health wise, no trouble at all with cancer, just getting old man’s arthiritis. I’m still a research assistant/patient adviser with the Cance Care Research Group at Stirling University, so keeping busy st 75. Hope you are keeping well?
Nice to hear from you. Since a year ago there seems a lot more people on the forum. I'm not up to date with most but remembered your photo with you and your wife in your lovely photo.
I'm keeping well thank you all considered with a lung operation and two brain ops and I think it is good for others on the forum to see that there is hope.
Best wishes to you and yours and keep up the good work.
Well glad I logged on today, been feeling a little down and unwell (could be the new immunotherapy) but reading your news has bucked me up no end - thanks for posting a very positive note. x
Thanks Ivyloot. I'm embarrassed now that I made the typo of 19 instead of 17 years being cancer free. The 19 is how many years we will have been married later this month, but it might be bad luck to change it!! It's certainly not unusual or strange to feel down or unwell. Cancer is a horrendous thing for anyone to have and sometimes the treatment is tough-going. The whole thing seems to take over your life. One of the benefits of groups like this is that you're among friends who have often gone through the same thing, Not being a medic or cancer specialist, all I can suggest is try to stay positive. Not easy, but it helps.
Really positive. Is there anywhere we can read your full history of treatments? Did you try any special diets etc? It would be useful to be useful to hear from you to see if we can all learn anything from you. I have recently been diagnosed non smoker with stage 4 NSCLC ALK positive aged 55 but fully fit with no pain.
Most of my history is on my initial post. It's so long ago now that my treatment will be old hat. Because the tumor was inoperable (due to its size and location) my specialist used a cocktail of drugs she hadn't tried before. Luckily for me I had stopped smoking a couple of years before diagnosis, so the treatment had a better chance of success. If I hadn't, I doubt if things would have gone as well. I was lucky too, in having positive folk around me, and trying to keep everything as normal as possible. I had great support and advice from the Roy Castle CNS who worked at the hospital at that time. I think the CNS is seriously valuable - often more knowledgeable than the doctors (sorry Doc). Sorry I can't be more helpful. All the best, Bill
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Help about proposed treatment 
QUERY RE: LUNG CANCER AND BRAIN METS
Still in Remission
I'm far to busy and just don't have time to die
Let down...again !
