"I never smoked but I was diagnosed with lung cancer" - Kildare woman tells story

The Marie Keating Foundation is today launching The Big Check Up 2024 ‘Look Out For Lung Cancer’ campaign to help raise lung cancer symptom awareness and improve early detection and survival rates, to mark November being International Lung

Cancer Awareness Month. 

Lung cancer still claims more lives in Ireland each year among both men and women than any other cancer. Every 18 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world dies of lung cancer, it is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally.

In Ireland, more than 2,500 people receive a devastating lung cancer diagnosis each year.

Just 24% of those diagnosed with the disease will survive more than 5 years. The majority of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at stage 3 or stage 4, meaning that treatment options are limited, and survival rates are lower.

Yet awareness of the signs and symptoms of lung cancer remains worryingly low.

Research carried out by Empathy on behalf of the Foundation last year shows that more than two thirds (71%) of people in Ireland feel uninformed about the signs and symptoms to watch out for in relation to lung cancer (only 29% say they feel well informed of the signs and symptoms), while more than one third of adults (36%) admit that not knowing the

symptoms would delay them from getting checked by their GP. 

As part of its campaign, which is proudly supported by AstraZeneca, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Takeda and Merck, the Marie Keating Foundation is urging people to look out for lung cancer. If you have a cough lasting longer than three weeks, are short of breath, have recurring chest infections or are coughing up blood, then please go to your GP. New treatments and medicines can potentially cure lung cancer when the disease is caught in the earlier stages, at Stage 1 or 2.

The Big Check Up 2024 ‘Look Out for Lung Cancer’ campaign also includes the enhancement of the innovative multi-platform AR Lens to Filter Out Lung Cancer and raise symptom awareness.

Launching this year’s campaign, Liz Yeates, CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation, commented, “The statistics around lung cancer are harrowing and stark but the Marie Keating Foundation wants to share a sense of hope and positivity for the future. With advancements in treatments and medications, early detection and diagnosis can save lives

and give families precious time. That’s why improved and widespread awareness of lung

cancer signs and symptoms is so important.” 

Symptom awareness is however only one element that will lead to improved lung cancer survival rates in a complex sociological picture, Ms Yeates continued. Social inequality, access to services and stigma surrounding lung cancer also contribute to diagnosis delays. 

“We have seen the impact of social inequality on patients through our work with underserved communities here in Ireland. These communities have a higher rate of lung cancer, particularly presenting at a late stage due to poorer access to services and support, along with the burden of financial stress and stigma. Not to mention the impact of language

barriers for some non-national communities here in Ireland. With an increased focus on education, awareness and support and more access to services, we could see significant improvements by catching cancer when symptoms present,” she said.

The Empathy research also revealed that more than a third (36%) of the population believe

that lung cancer patients face stigma that other cancer patients don’t face.

Lung cancer patient, Samantha Vaughan, aged 49, a mum of four and non-smoker from Co. Laois, advises others to be symptom aware and get checked by your GP if you have concerns. She contracted Covid in 2022 but her symptoms changed and persisted on recovery from Covid. She was completely shocked to later receive a lung cancer diagnosis.

“My advice to others is, ‘Always follow your instincts’. My gut was telling me that something wasn’t right in my body. Sometimes you have to push for further testing, you know your own body best. I have always felt healthy, and to get lung cancer and not smoking was a very big shock to me. My hope for the future is to live long enough to enjoy life to the best I can and spend all the special times with my family.”

She tells her story: “After having Covid I began experiencing breathlessness. I was also dealing with repeated sinus infections. This went on for a number of months but was all put down to Long Covid. I was put on a few courses of antibiotics and given inhalers, but nothing worked.

“By May I began feeling pain in my left side lower rib area. It felt as though I had pulled a muscle in my side. I decided to go to my doctor and requested to go to ENT and get a referral for an x-ray.

“I had to call back up to try to get my results as it was 2 weeks and was told that a lesion had showed up in my right lung. There was nothing wrong with my left lung and I would need a CT scan.

“I ended up booking a CT scan privately as I wanted to get my results as soon as possible. I had my CT scan in the morning and by the evening, I had a phone call back from my GP to say they had found a tumour. My GP had arranged for me to go into her the next morning and spoke to me about the next stage. She referred me to the fast-track clinic. CUH had got back to me.

“I was totally shocked; I was only 47 at the time and felt I wouldn’t be affected by lung cancer as I was a non-smoker.

“They needed to take a biopsy and remove the tumour. They also wanted to check my lymph nodes to see if the cancer had spread. I ended up having half my right lung removed but thankfully my lymph nodes were clear. I also had an airway removed as there were signs of some cancer.

“I was in hospital for two weeks after her surgery, spending a number of days in ICU.

“After that I was given my final diagnosis. Lung adenocarcinoma, an aggressive form of non-small cell lung cancer. It was stage two, grade three.

“My consultant said no further treatment would be needed as they had successfully removed the tumour, with no lymph nodes affected, the cancer had not spread. I was asked if the lab could do further tests to see if I was sensitive towards treatments, which I agreed. I was told that I had met the criteria for a current cancer trial Dr Collins in CUH, which would involve me taking a new medication each day for three years with the hopes that it will help protect me in the future. I feel very lucky to be able to do this and not to have to wait and worry about cancer coming back again.

“I decided to agree to take part in the trial and I am happy to be involved. So far, it’s been up and down with side effects. I have been dealing with some abscesses and ulcers in my mouth and nose, spots on the face, upset stomach, taste buds aren’t great, feeling sick, but I am managing this. My energy levels are also not the same, and breathing can be difficult sometimes as a result of the surgery.

“At the moment it’s the mental side I am struggling with most with. I am experiencing bad anxiety which affects my sleep. I have been told to really cut down on my activity and I am also off work. I am a busy mum, I always like to be out and about and busy, I find no longer being able to do that, very difficult. My recovery will take months not weeks.

“On advice I would like to share with others, ‘Always follow your instincts’. My gut was telling me that something wasn’t right in my body. Sometimes you have to push for further testing, you know your own body best.

“I have always felt healthy and to get lung cancer and not smoking was a very big shock to me.

“My hope for the future is to live long enough to enjoy life to the best I can and spend all the special times with my family.”