When Alison McHugh was diagnosed with lung cancer at 56, it felt like a horrible case of déjà vu; Alison’s father had died of the disease around the same age.
But whilst his experience was ‘swift and brutal’, Alison’s was thankfully completely different.
“My symptoms definitely didn’t feel particularly serious,” recalls Alison.
“I was feeling quite tired but that wasn’t uncommon. I lived a very active life. I had a physically active job. I swam. I walked. I’d even the run the New York marathon.
“The only other symptom I had was I would randomly have a tight feeling in my chest time to time.
A very good friend…
“A friend kept encouraging me to go and see the GP. I went but to be honest, I felt a bit of a fraud. I thought it was just going to be a virus or maybe a lack of iron.
“Despite my reluctance, the surgery was brilliant, and I got an appointment within an hour or so. I went in and spoke to a new GP that I’d never seen before who arranged an ECG and blood tests. They listened to my chest and said it sounded good, and my blood pressure was excellent.
Then, almost as an afterthought, the GP said she would send me for an x-ray ‘just in case’. That x-ray changed my life.”
Just days later, Alison was told that, whilst all her other tests were spot on, there was something concerning on the x-ray, so she was being referred for further tests. It was soon confirmed that Alison had lung cancer.
I’m going to be ok
“I know most people who are told they have lung cancer would be upset, but I was ok. I think I already knew and so had, subconsciously, prepared myself.
“But more than that, it was the speed of everything that kept me calm. I was humbled that such a huge system like the NHS had moved into immediate action. Everyone was pulling together to give me the best medical attention I could get.
“I met the oncologist and her aide, and they explained everything to me. They had treatment plan A, B and so on. It was very reassuring.
“The original plan was immunology. However, after further gene marker testing, the doctors realised this was not the best treatment option for me. Instead, the plan was chemotherapy to shrink the tumour, then possibly surgery followed by a preventative treatment for three years.
Starting treatment
“I started on chemo in the November. I didn’t lose my hair or suffer any real side effects. I was a little tired but had no sickness. Life went on. I even continued to work on reduced hours.
“I had three rounds of chemo. The original plan was to have four, but a scan showed it was affecting my liver, so the doctors didn’t want me to continue. The chemo had done its job anyway – the tumour had shrunk, and surgery was possible.
“My surgeon and, just like all of the healthcare professionals I’d met on this journey, was wonderful, supportive and optimistic.
“I’d never had surgery before, so it was a scary prospect, but I felt safe and confident that I was in good hands. I watched a YouTube video of the type of surgery I was having so I felt prepared.
“I had my surgery at the end of February 2024 and, whilst I am still experiencing some discomfort, I consider myself to be so lucky.
Life after cancer
“I do get tired, and I’ve had to put some of the things I used to do before I had cancer aside for now but gradually, my stamina is improving. I live alone and still do all my own chores. Just no more marathons for the time being!
The most important thing is the first scan since my operation showed I am cancer free. It’s an incredible feeling, especially as I have seen the other side of lung cancer. My dad’s experience couldn’t have been more different. It just shows the progress that has been made.
“But I know there is still more to be done. Sadly, my experience isn’t everyone. Many people aren’t sent for those vital tests as quickly, but they should be. I should be the rule, not the exception.
“I don’t feel like the issue of smoking ever came up. I certainly don’t remember being asked if I smoked at that initial appointment. If I had been, would that have changed the course of action? Thankfully, I’ll never need to find out.”
Alison shares her story as part of our Let Go of the Labels campaign for lung cancer awareness month, which calls for us all to stop thinking about lung cancer in terms of ‘smoker’ and ‘non-smoker’.
Charity chief executive, Paula Chadwick, said: “Alison’s story is so important because it shows that, when lung cancer is caught early, it can be successfully treated.
“It also demonstrates why it is so important to act on symptoms, even if they feel quite inconsequential. Lung cancer symptoms can often be very vague and easy to put down to other causes.
“That’s what can make difficult to diagnose lung cancer early and why we want more GPs to err on the side of caution and send more people a precautionary chest x-ray. It is always best to rule out lung cancer than miss an opportunity to catch it earlier.”
If you are concerned about symptoms or would like advice about how to get the most out of your appointment, check out our blog.