Lung cancer doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed; it impacts on their whole family. When Jo Canham’s dad was diagnosed, she was devastated but felt she had to stay strong. What she realises now, and what she wants others to know, is it’s ok to not be ok. Jo shares her experience to encourage others to look after themselves as well as caring for their loved one. “I couldn’t put my finger on why I wanted to share my dad’s story,” says Jo. “One of the reasons is to say to others never leave anything unsaid. “When I said goodbye to my dad, I kissed him and told him I loved him and I’m forever ..read more

Legend. It’s a word that’s used far too much in our opinion nowadays because we had the honour of knowing a man who truly deserved such an accolade. Roy Castle was a beloved entertainer. He could dance. He could sing. He could act. He could play dozens of instruments. He held multiple world records. But this isn’t what made him earn ‘legend’ status; it was the selfless way he lived out the final few months of his life. On 20th July 1994, Roy embarked on an epic three-day quest – subsequently called the Tour of Hope – a journey across the UK raising the profile of lung cancer and funds for ess ..read more

To the thousands of people waiting to meet him and the millions more watching at home, Roy Castle was simply a man on a mission, touring the country to raise the profile of lung cancer and the dangers of passive smoking. But behind the scenes, Roy was a very different figure from the one that greeted us on the station platforms. His wife, Fiona, shares her memories from that epic journey and how she helped Roy achieve his final wish those 30 years ago. “I knew that Roy could die whilst we were on the Tour of Hope,” describes Fiona. “I was prepared for that. “Before the tour started, I spoke t ..read more

Professor Ray Donnelly MBE shares his memories of Roy Castle and the Tour of Hope. “The Tour of Hope was a national event with the ultimate aim of raising the profile of lung cancer and raising money for lung cancer research. That’s what it was about – to help us diagnose lung cancer at an early stage. “Roy understood that which he why he was determined to do it, even though he was so poorly at the time. I don’t think people knew just how poorly he was. In fact, he was so poorly, the tour very nearly didn’t happen… “A couple of days before it was due to start, Fiona rang up to say “I don’t th ..read more

It was back in 2007 – and a lot of hard work and campaigning – when the smoking ban in public places first came into place. At the heart of it was Fiona Castle, working tirelessly with us to protect people like Roy who worked in smoky environments, as well as encouraging others to quit smoking. Today, with the King’s speech laying out plans for smokefree future, Fiona was front and centre again talking to BBC Breakfast on its potential implementation. The proposed legislation would see the minimum age that a person can legally buy cigarettes increase by a year every 12 months. This would mean ..read more

Rebecca Cain, a pharmacy technician for cancer services in Fife, worked in the chemotherapy unit where people received treatment. Rebecca loves her job, but having to watch her husband come in for treatment turned her life upside down. “It was hard seeing him sitting in the chair getting his chemotherapy, but he made it so much easier for me with his positive and friendly attitude. “I was married to Michael for 34 years and we have a lovely 21-year-old son Evan, who is at college. “Michael was an ambulance paramedic, which is a job he excelled in. He was a laid-back, friendly person who took e ..read more

With air pollution estimated to cause approximately 8 per cent of all lung cancer cases in the UK, it’s vital we all do what we can to minimise our carbon footprint. That’s why we’re so grateful to corporate partners, RSK and Virtus Energy who have donated an electric van (appropriately on Clean Air Day) to support with our community engagement activity. Chief executive, Paula Chadwick, explains the importance of this work: “Community engagement is a vital part of our work at Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. It allows us to get into the heart of communities and have much-needed face-to-face ..read more

When Keith Johnson from Leicestershire was told he had stage four lung cancer, he didn’t think he’d wake up the next morning. But after an eventful seven years, Keith’s cancer is still stable… “It all started on a bucket-list holiday in Italy in 2016,” recalls Keith. “I was climbing Mount Vesuvius but when I got to the top, I had really bad chest pains. I’d always been an active person, so this didn’t feel right for me. “When I returned home, I went to my doctors who sent me for an x-ray. Then, just a couple of weeks before Christmas, I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. “Given the time o ..read more

We’re delighted to announce our membership in the newly launched Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition (NICCC), a collective initiative aimed at improving services and outcomes for cancer patients in Northern Ireland. This coalition represents a significant step forward in ensuring world-class cancer care for all individuals affected by this devastating disease. The NICCC brings together 34 cancer charities, creating a unified voice to champion the needs of cancer patients across the region. This partnership follows the return of Stormont and aligns Northern Ireland with other UK nations ..read more

James Ferguson was one of the oldest participants in this year’s London Marathon and he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon! “You’re never too old to run a marathon – that’s my slogan! Support from my family and friends gave me the determination to get to the end, especially when I had to walk the last 4 miles as my knees gave out. “Everyone has been telling me that this year will be the last time I run such a distance, and considering my knee ligament issues I can understand why they would think that – but me and my sports physiotherapist are working on how to overcome my injuries ..read more