Page 11 - Community Health magazine - issue 38

David Kerr, lung cancer Lung cancer causes more
survivor and Diane Jones, deaths than any other
Targeted Lung Health cancer in the UK. There
Check Adviser are often no signs of lung
cancer at an early stage,
meaning the disease has
the chance to spread.

David’s life-saving

lung check

Father-of-three David Kerr talks about his gratitude to the NHS after
a routine lung check trial revealed he had early-stage cancer and fast
treatment led to a full recovery. Beverley Hunt found out more.

ormer Royal Marine David Kerr was scanned nearly 1,000 people in Kent,
a smoker for more than 30 years, with 11 of them, including David,
Fbefore a lung check trial piloted needing investigations for lung and
in Kent revealed he had early-stage other cancers.
lung cancer. David had surgery at Guy’s and St
David, from Dover, was smoking 40 Thomas’ Hospital in London, along with
cigarettes a night during his shifts as a support to help him quit smoking for David said: “I thought, I need to quit,
security guard at a haulage yard when good from Kent Community Health NHS those NHS staff are working so hard
he had an invite from the Kent and Foundation Trust’s Lung Health Check to keep me alive. Diane was fantastic,
Medway Cancer Alliance to have a lung Adviser Diane Jones. not pushy at all. It was never like an
health check, designed to spot lung appointment, it always felt like going
cancer early. ‘It was never like an for a coffee with a friend. She was the
David said: “During my check, I was reason I quit smoking, not the patches,
honest for the first time about how appointment, it always she was just fantastic.”
much I smoked. I’d always downplayed felt like going for a coffee David had the good news that his
my smoking to doctors before because I cancer was gone following his surgery in
didn’t want a lecture.” with a friend’ February. Apart from regular scans every
Following a CT scan and more tests, six months to keep an eye on things,
David was diagnosed with lung cancer. Diane said: “Giving up smoking can he’s now recovered and looking forward
Kent is the first pilot site nationally be hard but David had the prospect of to getting back to work, enjoying life
to offer patients support from a stop major surgery and this helped motivate with his family, cancer-free.
smoking adviser as part of the lung him, especially when his surgeon said his
check. The programme, for current or lung capacity would be better after his Visit www.kentcht.nhs.uk/
ex-smokers aged 55 to 75, has so far operation if he stayed smokefree.” one-you-smokefree

www.kentcht.nhs.uk 11