Full of Energy and Loving Life
Before her diagnosis, Tina Dickinson was full of energy. Working as a security steward for Showsec, she bounded up and down the stairs of Manchester Arena with ease. She was on her feet in all weathers across Manchester city centre and worked crowd segregation at Manchester City Football Club. Life was busy, physical — and she loved it.
A Rare Diagnosis
Then, around 10 years ago, doctors diagnosed Tina with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). In the UK, medical authorities classify it as a rare lung condition; in the US, they officially recognise it as a form of cancer.
“Day to day, my life has changed significantly,” Tina explains.
“The disease exhausts me. Every day, I wake up tired. My heart has taken on the strain of my lungs, and doctors suspect I now have mitral valve disease. I rely on ambulatory oxygen, so there’s no ‘just nipping’ to the shops or quickly doing some housework anymore. Everyday tasks now mean planning around oxygen.
“It’s very rare to see me without a smile on my face — but often, that smile is just masking the pain.”
Living with LAM
LAM is a progressive condition. While it typically advances more slowly than many cancers, it still leads to a gradual decline in lung function over years or even decades. It shares similarities with cancer in how it behaves, multiplying and damaging tissues — but it progresses much slower and is less aggressive.
Taking on a New Challenge
Despite everything, Tina’s now taking on a new challenge: dancing in a Strictly Come Dancing-style charity fundraiser for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
“A friend of mine had done something similar for mental health, and I said if there was ever a lung cancer one, I’d be up for it. I think my phone was listening because not long after, an advert popped up for the event! When I applied, I never thought I’d be accepted. I thought the oxygen would exclude me.
“But the charity has been amazing.”
Dancing Through Determination
Tina and professional dancer Christopher are preparing to perform the Argentine Tango — a fan favourite. Her goal? To complete the routine on the night without using her oxygen tank.
“Argentine Tango is hard,” she laughs. “It’s got twizzy bits, fast bits, slow bits and kicky bits. I’ve only kicked Chris once so far — so that’s progress!”
At her first lesson, she used a portable oxygen concentrator, but it quickly proved impractical.
“It just swung around like a handbag! So I spent the next few days cutting out bits of my oxygen backpack to add ventilation, so I can wear it on my back during training.”
She knows she’ll need her oxygen nearby, but she’s determined to dance right to the end.
Inspiring Others
“I’m just so thrilled to be part of this. I want to raise money, have fun and hopefully not look a million times worse than everyone else!
“But more than anything, I want to show people that being on oxygen isn’t the end of the world.”