All You Need is Lungs

At @btog.bsky.social 2026 we’re sharing an evaluation of the See Through the Symptoms #lungcancer awareness campaign.

It was developed by jointly by ALK+ UK, EGFR+ UK & the Ruth Strauss Foundation to encourage HCPs to consider lung cancer in people with persistent or unexplained symptoms. #LCSM

There’s growing agreement in the research that non-smoking #lungcancer is increasing and that our approaches to understanding and early detection haven’t kept pace.

This Trends in Cancer piece brings a lot of that thinking together in one place. #LCSM

🔗 www.cell.com/trends/cance...

What if lung cancer wasn’t one of the less survivable cancers?

This week is Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Week (12–16 Jan). #Lungcancer is one of these cancers, with outcomes still driven by late diagnosis, missed symptoms, & gaps in research & access.

Earlier diagnosis can change survival.

As Lung Cancer Awareness Month ends, we’re reminded how badly #lungcancer awareness is needed all year.

Huge thanks to our 2025 voices & to everyone who read, shared & supported 💟

Please take 1 minute to share your feedback: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... #LCSM

This #LungCancer Awareness Month we wanted to focus on self-care - everyday things that help us get through the tough days.

We didn’t expect how many of our volunteers would talk about their pets!

So, we’re taking a moment for the furry supporters who make the hard days a bit lighter. #LCSM

Lovely to see Shaun & Julia in South East London Cancer Alliance’s new #lungcancer awareness campaign.

Both of them are part of our 2025 All You Need Is Lungs 💟 campaign - it means a lot to see their voices reaching more people.

SELCA have done a really thoughtful job with this campaign. #LCSM

Thank you, Jules, for keeping your voice out there when it would be far easier to step back. The work you’re doing is shifting conversations and improving how lung cancer is seen and understood. It will save lives.

On 1st August my diagnosis changed from NSCLC to #SCLC, ending my time on Osimertinib and starting chemo & immunotherapy.

My first diagnosis in 2021 came after months of pain and being told it was tennis elbow or sciatica, until further tests confirmed EGFR+ Stage 4 #lungcancer.

#LCSM

I went to my GP feeling breathless. A few weeks after diff tests, I was told it was stage 4 ALK+ #lungcancer.

The diagnosis hit me & my family hard. It’s still a lot & hard not to think about it every day. But I’m doing the things I love again & trying not to let cancer take over my life. #LCSM

#Lungcancer wasn’t on my radar. I had no symptoms & my RET-fusion lung cancer was found by accident while I was in treatment for breast cancer.

I also have bowel cancer - 3 primaries - which still feels surreal to say.

Read Allison’s story ➡️ www.allyouneedislungs.org.uk/2025voices/a... #LCSM

Week 3 & we’ve passed 1 million views! 💟
Grateful to everyone who’s shared their #lungcancer story & everyone taking the time to read, like & share to raise awareness that anyone can get lung cancer.

Read all 56 stories here ➡️
www.allyouneedislungs.org.uk/2025voices #LCSM

New in JAMA: large study shows many diagnosed with #lungcancer would never have been offered screening - often because they were younger or didn’t match the “expected” profile.

Not just a US issue. Screening rules around the world still miss too many. Lung cancer can affect anyone with lungs. #LCSM

“Too many people like me are told they’re too young, too healthy, or too unlikely to have #lungcancer and that’s how cases get missed.”

Debra, ALK+ UK Chair, shares why See Through the Symptoms is about being taken seriously, seen sooner, and diagnosed earlier.

🔗 seethroughthesymptoms.uk
#LCSM

Since the early 1990s, #lungcancer rates in women in the UK have risen by around a third (34%). Lung cancer can affect anyone even younger people.

Be alert to symptoms that don’t go away, like a cough that lingers, breathlessness, fatigue or chest/shoulder pain. Source: Cancer Research UK #LCSM

47-Year-Old Fitness Enthusiast's Shock Stage 4 ROS1+ Lung Cancer Diagnosis — ALL YOU NEED IS LUNGS Catherine, always careful about fitness & diet, diagnosed with stage ROS1+ lung cancer in 2019 after persistent cough. Complete shock for healthy lifestyle advocate. Daily targeted therapy pill lets h...

Read Catherine’s story ➡️ www.allyouneedislungs.org.uk/2025voices/c...

Catherine was diagnosed with stage 1 #lungcancer in 2019.

She’d always been careful about her health, and it came as a big shock. In 2023 she was told it was stage 4 ROS1+ which meant her cancer could be treated with a daily targeted therapy.

Thank you Catherine for sharing your story.
#LCSM

Every day, 130 people in the UK are diagnosed with #lungcancer. That’s one person every 11 minutes.

Lung cancer can affect anyone & spotting it early can make a real difference.

Be alert to symptoms that don’t go away, like: a cough, breathlessness, fatigue, pain in chest/shoulder/back. #LCSM

28-Year-Old's Stage 4 EGFR+ Lung Cancer Found from Chest Crackle — ALL YOU NEED IS LUNGS Sophie, 28, former dementia care worker, diagnosed with stage 4 EGFR+ lung cancer in July 2021. Only symptom: chest crackle when lying down. Felt completely fine, working normally. Months of tests for...

Sophie wanted people to know lung cancer can affect anyone, at any age. She found comfort in her pets and in small daily routines that eased the worry. 💟 www.allyouneedislungs.org.uk/2025voices/s...

In loving memory of Sophie ♡
Diagnosed with stage 4 EGFR+ #lungcancer at 24. She died this September aged 28. Shared with her family’s blessing.

Her only early sign was a crackle in her chest at night. She felt well. Months of tests followed before she heard the word “cancer.”

#LCSM

Our Chair Debra joins Rad Chat to talk about the run-up to her #lungcancer diagnosis, the early signs she didn’t recognise & why she went on to found ALK+ UK. She shares what the first mnths were like, the gap she saw in support, & how much has changed in 9 yrs.

share.transistor.fm/s/8c25a0b0 #LCSM

Really helpful piece from @gatewayc.bsky.social on #lungcancer in never-smokers.

Women in this group face a higher risk than men, yet symptoms are still overlooked or put down to something else.

🙏 Thanks for pointing to All You Need Is Lungs as a resource. #LCSM
🔗 www.linkedin.com/posts/gatewa...

33-Year-Old Spent 4 Years Seeking Diagnosis - Finally Found Stage 4 ALK+ Lung Cancer — ALL YOU NEED IS LUNGS Jade, 33, diagnosed with stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer in 2022 after 4-year search for answers. Persistent cough, hoarseness & neck lump since 2018. Given inhalers for asthma, sent to breast clinic, X-rays...

Jade’s story and full video 🎥 www.allyouneedislungs.org.uk/2025voices/j...

By the time Jade was diagnosed with ALK+ #lungcancer, she’d been visiting her GP for four years with symptoms no one linked to lung cancer.

If you’ve had a persistent cough, hoarseness or tiredness that won’t go away - don’t ignore it. Anyone can get lung cancer. 💟
#AllYouNeedIsLungs #LCAM

#Lungcancer is often found late. Spotting it early can make a big difference.

Be alert to symptoms that don’t go away: cough, breathlessness, fatigue, chest/shoulder/back pain, hoarseness, unexplained weight loss.

Staging shows how far the cancer has spread & helps doctors plan treatment. #LCSM

Cameron was diagnosed with stage 4 #lungcancer at 52. His symptoms were a persistent cough & fatigue.

See Through the Symptoms is an award-winning awareness campaign - helping HCPs spot lung cancer early, even in people who don’t fit the usual profile. #LCSM

www.seethroughthesymptoms.uk

Sarah thought her #lungcancer symptoms were the menopause.

She was exhausted, dizzy and struggling with constant headaches. Even her neurologist thought it was menopause-related.

A CT head scan “just to rule anything out” found 6 brain mets. And in 2024, she was diagnosed with stage 4 EGFR+. #LCSM

Gini, part of our All You Need Is Lungs team, shared her story in today’s Mail on Sunday.

Her shoulder pain was put down to breastfeeding discomfort - but it turned out to be stage 4 EGFR+ #lungcancer.

By speaking so openly, Gini is helping raise awareness that lung cancer can affect anyone. #LCSM

Too many families are affected by #lungcancer when it’s the last thing they expected. People doing all the right things & still missed.

Deepa, from the Ruth Strauss Foundation, shares why See Through the Symptoms is about pausing, rethinking, and acting sooner.

👉 seethroughthesymptoms.uk
#LCSM

Sylvie had back pain, shortness of breath & weight loss. She was told it was sciatica & sent home.

A scan finally showed a mass in her lung - it was stage 4 ALK+ #lungcancer that had spread to her bones, liver, spine & lymph nodes.

💬 “I’d always assumed lung cancer & smoking went together.” #LCSM

Harriet was diagnosed with stage 4 ALK+ #lungcancer at 33 after fatigue & migraines. Now she finds balance through sound healing, meditation, & the support of those closest to her.

As members of @lungcancereurope.bsky.social we’re sharing real stories from www.getchecked.eu #LCSM