Follow my Lead

When it comes to talking about lung cancer, we’re not very good at it. We feel nervous and uncomfortable as we struggle for something to say. That’s why the Follow My Lead campaign encourages open, honest conversations to help break the silence. As a result, we find ourselves making crass or hurtful comments, turning to those dreaded cancer cliches, or worse still, nothing at all.

Follow my Lead aimed to find a better way to talk about lung cancer – by encouraging people to listen carefully to what people with lung cancer say and take cues from them to avoid saying something inappropriate.

Throughout the campaign, we shared stories of people living with lung cancer and their experiences of what helps and what doesn’t.

Because people living with lung cancer need comfort, not awkwardness. They need sincerity, not platitudes. They need support, not judgement. They need what they need because the reality is there is no right thing to say to something so devastating. There’s no tried and tested answer to make everything better.

Every lung cancer diagnosis is different. And so is everyone’s way of talking about it. So here’s how we’ll proceed. Follow my Lead.

10 most outrageous things said to someone with lung cancer

People living with lung cancer share the most shocking comments they’ve received when telling someone about their diagnosis.

“I am living with cancer or I am a cancer patient, I am not a warrior. I am surviving cancer, but not a cancer survivor. But I prefer the people who are brave enough to speak to me, even if they say words I don’t like than the people who avoid me.“

Andy McKay

Campaign highlights