This March, Lucy is taking on our Walk 31 Miles in March challenge in memory of her dad, John. By sharing his story and raising funds, she hopes to keep awareness of lung cancer alive and encourage others to listen to their bodies and seek help if something doesn’t feel right.
“He was witty, kind and always there for people”
Lucy describes her dad, John, as someone with a sharp wit and a dry sense of humour.
“He was dependable, always wanted to help people and was incredibly patient and kind. He was also a very intelligent man.”
Family meant everything to him. He adored Lucy and her family and had a particularly special bond with his granddaughter, Freya.
“He absolutely adored her,” Lucy says.
John loved sports throughout his life. When he was younger, he was a talented footballer who played semi-professionally and was also a keen cricketer. Later in life, golf became a favourite pastime, and he remained a passionate football fan. When he wasn’t watching sport, he could often be found enjoying a good book or looking forward to a sunny holiday.
“He was an amazing dad,” Lucy says. “Supportive, straight-talking, very selfless and always kind.”
From engineer to office role
John worked as a telecommunications engineer for BT during the 1970s and mid-1980s. His job involved travelling across the UK as a cables technician working in telephone exchange buildings.
Later, he moved into an office-based role.
“I think that was a relief for him,” Lucy explains. “He was always conscious that the work he’d done earlier could be dangerous.”
The symptoms that kept returning
John first began experiencing repeated chest infections in 2018. That summer, he had several severe infections and was prescribed antibiotics.
During a GP visit, crackling sounds were heard in his lungs, and it was mentioned that he might need testing for COPD. However, this test was never carried out. Instead, he received further antibiotics.
Not long afterwards, he suffered a small transient ischaemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a mini stroke. After treatment, he appeared to recover well.
But in 2019, the chest infections returned. Around the same time, he began to develop shoulder pain, which was treated with physiotherapy and antibiotics for the recurring infections.
When lockdown made things harder
At the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, John developed a severe cough. Because of restrictions, his GP consultations took place over the phone, and he was prescribed antibiotics without being seen in person.
Around the same time, he began experiencing significant bone pain.
By summer 2020, Lucy noticed he was struggling to walk during outings — something that had never been an issue before.
In September that year, the pain in his shoulder became severe while he was driving. When he contacted the GP surgery, he was told he could not attend in person because of COVID-19 restrictions, even though lockdown had eased.
During phone calls, he explained that he had been experiencing wheezing and shortness of breath for around 18 months and that it was getting worse. He was prescribed codeine for the pain and given an inhaler.
Life became more difficult
By October 2020, John’s condition had deteriorated significantly. The pain in his right shoulder was intense. He could no longer drive, struggled to lift his arm and spent much of his time in bed. Sleep became difficult because of the pain.
Lucy’s mother also raised concerns with the GP practice about his worsening breathing problems and wheezing, which had been present for many months. However, these symptoms were not investigated further.
When John attended an in-person appointment, the focus remained on his shoulder, and he was referred again for physiotherapy. Exercises were later sent in the post, but he was unable to complete them because he could not lift his arm.
“He was told it was a frozen shoulder”
After multiple attempts to seek help, John finally spoke to a GP in early November 2020.
Lucy and her mother explained that he could no longer walk properly, struggled to shower independently, had no appetite and was losing weight. They also raised concerns that the pain in his shoulder might be linked to lung cancer, especially as he was an ex-smoker.
But the GP believed the problem was a frozen shoulder and advised him to continue with physiotherapy.
For John, the situation became overwhelming.
“He felt lost and frustrated by the pain and lack of treatment,” Lucy says. “He couldn’t understand how the pain he was feeling could just be a frozen shoulder.”
At times, the suffering became so severe that he told his family he did not think he could live with it for another two years, which is how long recovery from a frozen shoulder can sometimes take.
Warning signs that were missed
Looking back, Lucy believes there were several warning signs.
These included repeated chest infections, the crackling sounds heard in his lungs, his history as an ex-smoker and his earlier work exposure to asbestos. His persistent shoulder pain, weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite were also concerning.
Two swollen lymph nodes appeared at the base of his neck — something that would eventually be linked to his cancer.
The hospital admission
On 23 December 2020, John’s condition became critical, and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Lucy and her family were unable to go with him.
By this point, he could no longer walk, was extremely confused and was struggling to breathe. He was going in and out of consciousness.
Only one person was allowed to visit him once a day under the hospital’s rules. Lucy volunteered to be that person.
A devastating diagnosis
A chest X-ray showed a broken clavicle and asbestos-related pleural calcification in his lungs. On Christmas Day, doctors carried out a CT scan.
Afterwards, Lucy was taken into a room and given devastating news.
Her dad had stage 4 lung cancer that had spread extensively throughout his body, including his bones, brain, adrenal gland, stomach, liver and spleen. The cancer had also eroded parts of his ribs and hip.
At the time, John was still confused due to the infection, so Lucy asked the doctors to wait until he was able to understand before telling him the diagnosis.
Twelve days to say goodbye
Lucy was there when doctors eventually explained the diagnosis to her dad.
“It was one of the worst moments and most dreaded conversations of my life,” she says.
But in some ways, the diagnosis also gave John a sense of clarity after months of being told the pain was something else.
In the days that followed, Lucy describes feeling as though she was moving through a dream.
“I felt like I was in a trance, almost detached from my own body, just going through the motions of what needed to be done.”
At times she found herself pleading with him not to leave, while also wishing for relief from the suffering he had endured for months.
John died just 12 days after his diagnosis.
Seeking answers
After his death, Lucy raised a formal complaint with the GP practice, wanting to understand why his illness had not been recognised earlier.
She requested his medical records and audio recordings of more than 20 phone calls made during 2020.
She also contacted the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which carried out an investigation into the practice. Eventually, Lucy decided to pursue a clinical negligence case.
For Lucy, the process was about accountability and ensuring her dad’s experience was understood.
“If his story saves just one life”
One moment in particular made Lucy realise the impact her dad’s story could have.
While sitting in her local GP surgery, she overheard two men discussing a newspaper article about a man whose shoulder pain had turned out to be lung cancer.
She realised they were talking about her dad.
“In that moment I felt proud of my dad,” she says. “For the first time I felt that his awful death was not in vain.”
“If his story saved just one person’s life, that would be enough.”
Her message to others is clear: trust your instincts.
“If you feel dismissed by a doctor, seek a second opinion. Keep pushing and trust your own body. Symptoms that seem minor can sometimes be signs of something serious.”
Walking 31 miles in March for her dad
This March, Lucy is walking 31 miles in support of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
She takes part in a challenge each year to keep raising awareness and often shares her dad’s story with friends and family online.
This year’s challenge is particularly meaningful as Lucy herself has experienced a cardiac arrest, which limits the types of exercise she can do.
“The 31 Miles in March challenge is ideal for me,” she says.
For Lucy, fundraising and awareness go hand in hand.
“Lung cancer is such a common cancer, yet so many people are diagnosed at a late stage. Any form of public awareness is incredibly important.”
By taking on the challenge, Lucy hopes to honour her dad’s memory — and help others recognise the signs of lung cancer sooner.