Page 15 - Inspire
P. 15
“I was in London when I was
diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer,
over 300 miles away from home,
my wife and my family in Durham. told the nurses what I’d done, only for them to
explain that you don’t lose your hair with the
I had coughed up two blood clots, about the size of chemo I was having! However, I met a great team
a two-pound coin and, straightaway, I realised it was at Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, so it was
something serious. worth it in the end.
Prior to that, I’d had a cough for around a year. My first time on the chemo ward was frightening
I’d been back and forth to the doctor with it, as but the nurses are a breed unto themselves. They
well as back pain and clubbed fingers, all of which know the people who like to have some banter,
I now know are symptoms of lung cancer. As I had they know when to leave you alone. I had a lot of
smoked from a young age, the cough was banter with the nurses, that’s the way I deal with
attributed to this. things, but there were others who just wanted to
sit in a corner. The nurses knew exactly what to do.
Looking back, I think the fact that I was fit perhaps
played a part in delaying my diagnosis. I played Around three quarters of the way through
rugby, I ran cross country, and I loved to scuba dive, treatment, I developed lung embolisms and suffered
so despite the cough and other symptoms, I was from shortness of breath. It was tough, but I got
very fit and not someone you’d associate with through it and I’ve defied the odds. I was initially
lung cancer. given a 50% chance of surviving for five years. I am
now cancer free.
On the flip side, I also think being fit is what has
helped me survive what I went through. I was Under the sea
diagnosed at stage 3 but was still able to have About four or five months after chemo, I had the
surgery, followed by chemotherapy three months opportunity to go on holiday and my doctors
later. agreed that I could go diving. It’s quite remarkable
looking back. From the situation I was in when I
It was a six-hour operation, and I was discharged was first diagnosed, now here I was, less than 12
six days later. I recovered really well. The chemo, months later, scuba diving again!
though, was something else.
I imagine many people would expect that having
Ebbs and flows part of your lung removed would have a significant
Before I started, I talked to a friend who’d had impact on your breathing. That certainly hasn’t
chemo. I remember him telling me that nothing been the case for me. I’ve now completed my 150 th
would prepare me for when I would start losing dive and I’m hoping to do a Rescue Diver course
my hair. So, I decided to be proactive and too, which is one of the hardest diving
did a sponsored head shave for Roy Castle Lung qualifications there is.
Cancer Foundation. I raised a lot of money and it
meant that I was in control of losing my hair. It just goes to show that there is life after lung
cancer and losing a bit of my lung isn’t going to
I went for my first course of chemotherapy and stop me living it!”
