Talk of Hope is a podcast for people affected by lung cancer. Featuring personal accounts from people living with the disease as well as healthcare experts highlighting improvements in diagnosis, treatment and care, Talk of Hope offers light and positivity during an anxious and fearful time.
Each episode, we’ll hear from people with different experiences of lung cancer as well as healthcare professionals who will share what’s going on to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Talk of Hope is a fortnightly podcast, with new episodes released every other Tuesday.
Season 3
Episode 1: What precisely is Precision Medicine?
Tuesday 7 April 2026
Thanks to advances in precision medicine, more people with stage 4 lung cancer are living longer, fuller lives than ever before.
In this episode, we speak to Dr David Gilligan about what precision medicine means and how it’s changing treatment as well as Duncan Edmonstone about what it’s like to experience this form of treatment first hand.
This episode of Talk of Hope has been sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, who have had no editorial input into, or control over, the content in this podcast.
Season 2
Episode 8: LCAM 25 Special: Young Women and Lung Cancer – with Dr Cecilia Pompili
Tuesday 25 November 2025
Staggeringly, women aged between 30 to 49 who have never smoked have more than twice the risk of developing lung cancer than their male counterparts, and yet this disease is still one that is so readily associated with men.
We are proud to fund a new research project that aims to help us better understand young women and lung cancer and speak to lead researcher Dr Cecilia Pompili to find out more about the project.
Episode 7: LCAM 25 Special: Robotic-assisted surgery – with Stephanie Fraser and Samantha Knight
Tuesday 18 November 2025
Robotic-assisted surgery is the latest advancement in minimally invasive techniques. It allows surgeons to remove part or all of a lung, or a tumour, with even greater precision and control than traditional keyhole (VATS) surgery. Compared to open surgery, these techniques are associated with smaller incisions, less trauma, and quicker recovery — meaning patients can often go home sooner and regain quality of life faster.
Episode 6: LCAM 25 Special: The biggest step forward – with Ian Joynson and Susan Williams
Tuesday 11 November 2025
Lung cancer screening represents the most significant breakthrough in the early detection of lung cancer to date. After decades of tireless campaigning by Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, it’s now a reality – and we’re committed to making sure it delivers the best possible outcomes.
Joining us are two people who know just how life-changing this can be – Ian Joynson and Susan Williams, who both benefited directly from this groundbreaking programme.
Episode 5: Shining a spotlight on ROS1+ – with Catherine Paul and Del Danaher
Tuesday 28 October 2025
In recent years, we have learnt so much about lung cancer including the many, many different types of the disease. In this episode, we’re shining a light one of the rarer types of lung cancer called ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer — a diagnosis that affects only around one to two percent of people with lung cancer but has a huge impact on those living with it.
Episode 4: Surgery at stage 4 – with Natasha Loveridge
Tuesday 14 October 2025
When Natasha Loveridge was diagnosed in 2023, she was told that her lung cancer was inoperable because the cancer had spread to her brain. But excitedly, things have started to change, and Natasha is now poised to be (we think) the first female in the UK to undergo surgery to remove the primary tumour after progression to brain metastasis.
Episode 3: Predicting Pleural Effusion – with Dr Eleanor Mishra
Tuesday 30 September 2025
Living with lung cancer can feel overwhelming — especially when complications like pleural effusion make it harder to breathe and carry on with daily life. In this episode of Talk of Hope, we’re joined by Dr Eleanor Mishra, who shares how her research is helping people with pleural effusion feel more in control — by predicting when fluid might return and putting plans in place to manage it.
Episode 2: From Diagnosis to Dancefloor – with Tina Dickinson and Karen Hall
Tuesday 16 September 2025
Tina Dickinson and Karen Hill are swapping everyday clothes for sequins and sparkle and stepping onto the stage at our Strictly Ballroom fundraiser. Their stories remind us that even when life feels uncertain, you can still keep moving forward – sometimes even with a little glitter.
Episode 1: Taking on the Tour de 4 – with Mel Erwin
Tuesday 2 September 2025
It’s safe to say that Mel Erwin does not identify as sporty. In fact, Mel would even go as far as saying she is the least sporty person you could ever meet! And yet, here is she – minus part of her lung and on a targeted treatment for stage 4 lung cancer – taking on Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 cycling challenge.
Season 1
Episode 13: From Stage 1 to 3 and back again – with Jane Holmes
Tuesday 29th July 2025
Jane Holmes has quite a story to tell. A shock diagnosis at 43, Jane was initially told her lung cancer was caught early. However, a PET scan revealed it had spread to the nodes in her neck. Suddenly, Jane’s cancer went from stage 1 to advanced lung cancer. Stage 3b. Inoperable. Incurable.
But that was 11 years ago so clearly there’s a lot more to Jane’s story…
Episode 12: The Cancer Copilot – with Sarah Richards
Tuesday 15th July 2025
When lung cancer strikes, it doesn’t just hit the person who has been diagnosed. It affects everyone around them too.
In this episode, we chat to Sarah Richards, whose partner Mel is living with stage 4 lung cancer, about being a ‘cancer copilot’ and what’s she’s learned over the past five years as she’s helped navigate the way through diagnosis, treatment and recurrence.
Episode 11: Liquid biopsy – with Prof Alastair Greystoke and Yvonne Diaz
Tuesday 1st July 2025
Back at the end of May, it was announced that NHS England are to roll out a pioneering blood test that could transform lung cancer treatment.
In this episode, we chat through this latest new development with Professor Alastair Greystoke and guest co-host Yvonne Diaz and what it could mean for people with lung cancer.
Episode 10: Clinical trials – with Ann Doran
Tuesday 17th June 2025
Clinical trials are an essential part of medical research but the prospect of taking part in a clinical trials can be very daunting and overwhelming.
In our latest episode of Talk of Hope, we chat to helpline nurse Ann Doran, who before she joined our charity worked as a clinical trial nurse for 16 years. Ann provides valuable insights about clinical trials including answering commons questions around safety, side effects and how to find a trial.
Episode 9: Finding purpose again – with Sean Kelly
Tuesday 3rd June 2025
On the Talk of Hope podcast, we always try and look at the positives, to find hope in even the darkest moments. But it’s also important for us to be real. Sean Kelly has endured a very difficult few months since his diagnosis in February. He’s had a real lack of support, been hospitalised by his treatment and had to give up his passion – running. In this episode, Sean shares his lowest moments but also how, with our help, he’s been able to find purpose again.
Episode 8: Coping with progression – with Jules Fielder
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Jules is living with stage 4 EGFR+ lung cancer which had originally spread to her pelvis and spine. At the beginning of the year, Jules received the news everyone with lung cancer fears. Her cancer had progressed. But in true Jules style, she’s still hopeful, got another holiday lined up and is here to talk as openly as ever about a very difficult subject.
Episode 7: Help with travel insurance – with Fiona Macrae
Tuesday 6th May 2025
Always a hot topic, in this episode of Talk of Hope, we chat with founder of Insurancewith, Fiona Macrae, about all things travel insurance. Listen now for advice about how you might be able to reduce the cost of your travel insurance, as well as hearing about the weird and wonderful things our hosts take on holiday!
BONUS episode: TCS London Marathon 2025 POST RACE!
Friday 2nd May2025
After a very, very hot London Marathon, we caught up with two of our runners – Joe Gill and Khang Le to find out how it all went. Did it live up to expectations? What were their highlights and how did they cope running so far in that heat. PLUS here how much all our marathon runners raised and what that money can help support.
BONUS episode: TCS London Marathon 2025
Tuesday 22nd April 2025
It’s London Marathon week and we have a special bonus episode of our Talk of Hope podcast to mark the occasion! We chat to two of this year’s runners, Joe Gill and Khang Le who are running those iconic 26.2 miles (don’t forget the .2) in memory of their mums, as well as London Marathon veteran Ruth Chappell who has run the race not once but twice!
Episode 6: The joy of volunteering – with Diane Fraser
Tuesday 15th April 2025
Admin ✔️ Cheer squad ✔️ Spooky welly walk ✔️
There’s not much volunteer Diane Fraser hasn’t done for our charity (except volunteering in one of our shops – yet!). Listen to Diane share her experience of volunteering and why she chose to give her time to us.
Episode 5: How cancer gave me back my life – with Paul Moor
Tuesday 1st April 2025
It’s not very often someone says they are ‘grateful’ for their cancer diagnosis, but Paul Moors genuinely is. For him, it’s helped to reset and focus on what really matters in life and what he wants to get out of it.
BONUS episode: Keeping it in the family
Tuesday 25th March 2025
In this short bonus episode, we chat to mother and daughter duo, Lucy and Charlotte after Charlotte completed a week of work experience at our charity after we had supported her mum for many years.
Episode 4: Four years with Small Cell Lung Cancer – with Joanne Peake
Tuesday 18th March 2025
Considered the more aggressive type of lung cancer, Talk of Hope chats to Joanne Peake who has been living with small cell lung cancer for over four years – with no active treatment since September 2022.
Episode 3: Working with lung cancer – with Richard Tunningley
Tuesday 4th March 2025
In this episode of our Talk of Hope podcast, Richard shares his experience of continuing to work with stage 4 lung cancer whilst legal associate, Danielle Symington, shares some basic information about employment law and your rights following a diagnosis.
Episode 2: Preparing for the future – with Simon Tilling
Tuesday 18 February 2025
Simon is living with stage 4 lung cancer. He remains hopeful that his cancer stays stable and new treatments will continue to come. But Simon is also a pragmatic person. He knows he needs to be prepared in case that doesn’t happen.
Episode 1: Hope is our rocket fuel – with Mel Erwin
Tuesday 4th February 2025
Mel never used to like the word ‘hope’. She found it a bit wishy washy. But as she’s become more and more familiar with the community and the richness of what’s happening – the research, the development, the new drugs – she realised there is tangible hope.
You can also check out past episodes of our podcast Let’s Talk about Lung Cancer, including discussions around going on holiday when you have lung cancer, life on a watch and wait regime and biomarker testing.
Let’s us know what you think!
If you have any ideas for future episodes, or would be interested in being a guest, get in touch.