Giant inflatable lungs are on a tour of the UK, to raise awareness of potential cancer symptoms and help catch cancer earlier.
The Let’s Talk Lung Cancer roadshow, run between the NHS and Roy Castle Lung Foundation will visit thousands of people in England’s lung cancer hotspots.
The roadshow comes at a time when new survey data reveals just two in five respondents (41%) would see their GP if they had a persistent cough for three weeks or more.
Half of the survey respondents also believed that lung cancer only affects a small amount of people every year in England, when in fact it’s the leading cause of cancer deaths in the UK.
One in seven (14%) people believe that lung cancer only affects smokers.
NHS national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: “While lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, with tens of thousands of people diagnosed each year, our recent survey found that half of people believe lung cancer only affects a small amount of people every year, with many admitting they would not see their GP for a persistent cough of three weeks or more.
“This is exactly why the NHS is running awareness campaigns like our inflatable lung roadshow, which is going into the heart of communities to catch people’s attention, start a conversation about cancer, and raise awareness about symptoms and when to get checked out.
“Talking about cancer saves lives, and our message to the public is simple – don’t hold off if you have worrying symptoms such as a persistent cough or aches and pains when breathing – it might not be cancer but catching it early gives people the best chance of treating it”.
Chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, Paula Chadwick, said: “It is staggering that half of those surveyed still do not know how prevalent lung cancer is. We believe this stems from a reluctance, even aversion, to talking about lung cancer, and that is largely because of its links to smoking and associated stigma.
“That’s why these events are so important. They give us the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with people who may not realise they are at risk, who may not recognise potential symptoms or could feel unable to act on them.
“If we can help just one person get diagnosed earlier when lung cancer can be treated more easily, then that is worth doing”.
