Lung Cancer Awareness Month

[EmJay]

Hi Everyone,

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is supporting lung cancer awareness month across the UK from November 1st.

The campaign aims to encourage people displaying the symptoms of lung cancer to visit their GP.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and is UK’s biggest cancer killer. It is the most common cause of death from cancer for both men and women, claiming almost 35,000 lives a year. Early detection of lung cancer makes it more treatable, so encouraging people to recognise symptoms such as a persistent cough and see their doctor sooner could save lives.

I think you are all probably aware that the Quit Support forum is supported by the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. We are the only UK charity whose sole objective is to beat lung cancer. We do that by raising money to pay for research into lung cancer and by trying to find ways for people to be diagnosed early on in the disease process so they have the best possible chance of recovery.

•Just over 41,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the UK and 35,000 will die – that’s one person every 15 minutes.

•It's a massive problem and yet only 7% of the money spent on cancer research is for lung cancer. There is only £425 spent on research for every person who dies compared to £3,509 for breast cancer, which is one of the reasons breast cancer has much higher survival rates.2

•Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is a tiny, minnow of a charity trying to tackle the UK’s biggest cancer killer. This is without doubt a David and Goliath battle, but it’s a battle we have taken on for the past 23 years when no one else was interested, because lung cancer patients need a voice and need some hope.

You can save lives by making a donation to lung cancer research.

•If every forum member gave £1 we would have almost £800

•If every forum member gave us the price of a packet of cigarettes we would have almost £6,000

Please, please help Eileen and I reach our £1000 target, we would love to smash that if we can, every little helps to make a difference.

You can help by sharing the following link to our JustGiving page;

justgiving.com/quitsupport

Thanks Everyone

[EmJay Partner]

Can I please ask that you read the following and just by sharing what you have read will help save lives. Remember - early diagnosis saves lives

What should I look for?

Early signs and symptoms of lung cancer are:

A cough that won't go away

Blood in your spit (phlegm)

Chest or shoulder pains

Coughing up blood

Chest infection(s)

Feeling breathless, for no reason

Hoarseness in your voice

A cough you always have that changes or gets worse

Unexplained tiredness or lack of energy

Weight loss that you can't understand

What do I do if I am worried?

If you are concerned don't delay in visiting your GP. It is most likely that this will be nothing serious and will put your mind at ease. If it is lung cancer, early diagnosis and treatment could save your life.

How do I reduce my risk?

- Get help to stop smoking

- Reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke

- Diet and exercise can be important

- Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables everyday

- Reduce your fat intake

- Eat less salt and sugar

- Reduce how much alcohol you drink

- Take regular exercise

Know the facts:

Smoking:

- Smokers and ex-smokers have an increased risk of getting lung cancer.

- If you smoke 25 cigarettes a day you are 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than if you've never smoked.

- The risk increases the more cigarettes and more years you smoke.

- It is never too late to stop smoking. Quitting at any age reduces your risk of getting lung cancer.

- One in two regular smokers will die of a smoking related disease.

Non-smokers:

- Passive smoking increases your risk, but not as much as smoking yourself.

- One out of every seven people diagnosed each year have never smoked.

- Researchers are currently looking at whether faulty genes play a part.

Environmental factors:

Contact with chemicals found in the workplace or environment, such as asbestos and diesel exhaust fumes.

In certain parts of the UK where there are a lot of granite, a naturally occurring radioactive gas called radon may lead to an increase in lung cancer.

For further help and support please visit;

roycastle.org

healthunlocked.com/lungcancer

[Eye_]

Thank you so much for your generous donations. You will make a difference