Back in March, Paul Moors first shared his story with Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. At the time, he said: “Cancer may take my life, but it also gave it back to me.”
Seven months on, we checked back in to see if those words still hold true…
“If anything, those words feel even more powerful now,” explains Paul, “because since then, my journey has taken me down paths I never expected. Some days bring joy, others bring challenges — but every moment continues to shape the way I live with cancer.
Every moment feels like a new experience — some positive, some challenging — and all of them shape the way I live with cancer. Scanxiety is real. Canxiety is real. But so is gratitude.
Pushing myself forward
One of the things that has kept me moving forward is fundraising. In May, I ran my first half marathon since my diagnosis. Crossing that finish line was more than just a race — it was proof that I can still set myself goals and achieve them.
Moments like that remind me of what I wrote in my first story: “Before cancer, I drifted through life. Now, I’m fully awake, fully alive. I take nothing for granted.”
Each race, each event, each new experience adds to that sense of purpose.
Facing setbacks
But the reality of cancer is that it doesn’t always let you keep moving at the pace you want. Not long after the half marathon, I was hit with a setback. My immunotherapy caused colitis that landed me in hospital and stopped my treatment. At one point, I nearly lost my appendix.
High-dose steroids followed, along with a series of scans to check how my body was coping. During that time, a brain metastasis — one I’d had before — seemed to wax and wane, which was unsettling. Thankfully, it eventually settled, and after 10 weeks, I was able to restart treatment.
But just when I thought I was back on track, another challenge arrived. In late August, a new MRI revealed a new brain tumour. This suggested my cancer might have mutated to evade treatment. My team decided to suspend immunotherapy while I prepared for radiotherapy.
Letting go of plans
Around this time, I’d started training for the Great North Run. Becoming a “Roy’s Runner” had been a dream of mine since sharing my story. I wanted to run with that blue vest and show others what is possible with lung cancer.
But life had other ideas. On medical advice, I had to step back. It was disappointing, but I wasn’t ready to give up completely. As a backup, I entered the Bury 10K, a race I’d done before. Unfortunately, the date fell just before my planned radiotherapy, so again, I had to let it go. I did however get to compete in the Torbay 10k a couple of week ago and even managed a PB!
Radiotherapy went ahead, and I’ve since restarted immunotherapy. Now, I’m in that familiar two-month wait — the one filled with “what ifs” and endless questions.
Learning to listen
If there’s one thing this journey keeps teaching me, it’s to listen to my body. To notice when I need to rest. To calm my nervous system. To focus on what I can control and to let go of what I can’t.
In my first story, I wrote: “Cancer is teaching me how to live. It’s showing me how to love myself, including the parts of me that are unwell.”
Those words mean even more to me now. I no longer feel like I’m fighting myself. Instead, I’m learning to surrender — not to cancer, but to the present moment. To accept what comes, without losing sight of hope.
Finding hope
My goal hasn’t changed: I want to keep raising awareness and offering hope. Not just for myself, but for anyone living with lung cancer and searching for a glimmer of light in the darkness.
When I was first diagnosed, I wasn’t sure how long I had to live. Yet here I am — still living, still setting myself challenges (gently), and still finding gratitude in each moment.
Cancer may one day take my life. But right now, it continues to give me life too — and I intend to keep living it fully, one step, one breath, one grateful moment at a time.