When Susan was invited for a routine lung health check, she felt perfectly well. She had no symptoms and no reason to believe anything was wrong. But that simple scan led to the early detection of lung cancer — and ultimately saved her life.
“It’s like I’ve never had lung cancer. That’s purely down to catching it early.
“I was diagnosed in July 2022. I had no symptoms at all, but I got a phone call out of the blue. My GP had put my name forward because I’m an ex-smoker. After a ten-minute conversation, I was told I qualified for a scan, and everything started from there.
“I was first offered an appointment in Blackburn two weeks later, but I didn’t want to drive there, so I turned it down. Thankfully, they said they could fit me in at Blackpool instead. About six weeks later, I got a letter inviting me for the scan — and I went.
“Thank goodness I did.”
A previous heartache
“My dad died of lung cancer in 2006. His cancer wasn’t found until much later, and things might have been very different for him if it had been picked up early. So even though I felt fine, I went along. The scan was no trouble at all — honestly, easy peasy. It was done within minutes, and I was back home within the hour.
“A short time later, I got a follow-up letter saying they needed to investigate something further. I still didn’t believe it could be cancer. I had no symptoms, nothing to suggest anything was wrong.
“At the appointment, they explained they’d seen a shadow on my left lung and on my bowel. They couldn’t rule out cancer.
“I was booked in for surgery. Before they performed the operation, they took a biopsy and waited for the results. When it was confirmed it was cancer, they removed part of my lung and some lymph nodes right then and there!
“When I came round and I found out I had lung cancer, I was completely gobsmacked. Absolutely flabbergasted. To go from a random phone call to surgery, and then being told, “yes, you’ve had cancer” – it was surreal.
My life hasn’t changed
“My recovery, though, was perfect. I felt exactly the same afterwards as I did before. Two weeks after coming home, one of my stepsons got married, and I felt absolutely brilliant. My life hasn’t changed at all since. I still get my paddleboard out, I still go in the water, I still enjoy everything I did before.
“And I know that if I hadn’t gone for that scan, it might have been a very different story.
“The staff made me feel so at ease throughout. No lectures, no judging — just straightforward, kind, reassuring people. Going through the scan machine was the easiest thing on the planet. A real doddle.
“So please, please, please: if you’re offered a scan, go for it. It could save your life, just like it saved mine.
What is lung cancer screening?
Lung cancer screening looks for early signs of lung cancer before symptoms appear. In the UK, people aged 55–74 who currently smoke or used to smoke may be invited for an initial lung health check.
If someone is at higher risk, they are offered a low-dose CT scan — a quick, painless scan that takes only a few minutes.
Finding lung cancer early gives people the best chance of successful treatment. Susan’s story shows just how life-saving a simple scan can be.