When Barbara Duffin was told she had lung cancer, she couldn’t believe it. The news came completely out of the blue, and on Christmas Eve.
Barbara had originally visited her GP about a lump on her back. It was suspected to be a harmless fatty lump, but she was sent for a scan to double-check. When she went to receive the results, she was told the lump was indeed nothing serious and would be removed in due course. But then came the unexpected news – the scan had also picked up something on her right lung. It was cancer.
“I just burst into tears,” Barbara said. “The consultant was so kind and supportive, though. When I left, I gave him a big hug and said thank you, strange as that might sound after being diagnosed with cancer!”
Christmas after lung cancer diagnosis
Barbara returned home and shared the news with her family, who were just as shocked. But despite the devastating diagnosis, she tried to carry on with Christmas as planned, only for things to take another sudden turn when Barbara’s husband collapsed.
He was rushed to hospital, though thankfully it turned out to be nothing serious. One of the attending paramedics, after hearing of Barbara’s diagnosis, sat and spoke with her. That conversation stuck with Barbara.
“I promised her that day that I would give something back to lung cancer charities.”
In the weeks that followed, Barbara’s calendar filled with appointments. CT scans, PET scans, MRIs, biopsies, blood tests. “It felt like I had every scan and test imaginable,” she said. “Information was coming at me from every direction.”
What helped her through the chaos was a set of leaflets from Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, which explained everything in plain, clear language. Barbara kept those leaflets close and referred to them throughout her treatment.
In February, she met with her cardiothoracic consultant, who told her the cancer could be removed through surgery. On 4th March, Barbara underwent an operation to remove the top lobe of her right lung.
She spent five days in hospital, and while there, she decided to fundraise for the charity that had supported her. Her goal was to walk 50 miles by 4th May and raise £500 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
Stepping up for lung cancer
With the help of her husband, Barbara calculated that walking 26 laps around their garden equalled one mile. Just one day after returning home from the hospital, she managed two laps with her husband’s support. Gradually, her strength returned, and within two weeks, she was walking alone – talk about stepping up for lung cancer!
By the end of April, Barbara had not only completed her 50-mile challenge with time to spare, but had also raised £1,200 (more than double her target) with donations pouring in from friends, family, and generous strangers.
Recovery wasn’t easy. Barbara was physically drained, and her husband cared for her around the clock. But the results were worth it. At her follow-up appointment in April, she was told her cancer was completely gone and she wouldn’t need any further treatment – just a routine scan in six months’ time.
Her consultant also praised the walking Barbara had done, explaining it had helped her lungs recover much faster than expected. The two remaining lobes had already expanded to fill the space left behind – something that usually takes months.
Barbara still feels tired and often naps during the day, but she says it’s a small price to pay.
“Feeling tired is a lot better than facing progressive cancer,” she said.
She’s incredibly grateful to the staff at Oxford University Hospitals, her GP practice, and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation for the care and support she received.
To others facing a lung cancer diagnosis, Barbara has this message:
“You’ll get there. But don’t just sit around hoping you’ll get better — get up and do something to help yourself. You’ll feel better for achieving something for yourself, and maybe for others too.”