LIVING WITH LUNG CANCER IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

Living with lung cancer is difficult enough - then COVID-19 came along

Every year, each chapter of BITA chooses a charity they would like to support for the coming year, and in 2019 the London Chapter chose the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. We asked them to catch us up on how their clients are coping.

People with lung cancer are amongst the most vulnerable to serious illness, even death, if they contract coronavirus. Many are also having potential life saving and life lengthening treatments delayed.

It has been a very testing time for the charity too, in what is actually our 30th anniversary year. Instead of celebrations, our shops closed, major events have been postponed or cancelled and social distancing has put a stop to traditional fundraising. Yet, our focus remains clear – supporting those living with lung cancer in the most unprecedented of times.

Calls to our helpline have increased by 56% with patients and loved ones full of questions about the pandemic and its impact on their treatment. People like Vicky.

Vicky has been receiving treatment for incurable lung cancer for the last three years. She recently found out her disease had spread, but she couldn’t access the only remaining treatment that might help.

Her sister, Alison, called our nurseled helpline for advice. Armed with the necessary information, Vicky has now been given access to a new treatment, which could give her more time with her three children. In addition to our helpline, we have launched a new Keep in Touch support service, reaching out to the most vulnerable patients. This not only ensures they have the provisions they need; it also makes them feel a little less isolated. Brian is one of the many patients the team speaks to on a weekly basis:

“Hearing from Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation every week is a great relief for me. I look forward to it and it keeps me in touch with the world. It’s as helpful as any part of the NHS.”

It is for people like Vicky and Brian that we must continue to do everything we can to help those living with lung cancer.

Living with lung cancer means constantly living in fear of the unknown. You are in constant fear that it might spread, your treatment has stopped working or the disease may come back. Covid-19 has magnified this fear but we’re here to help mitigate these anxieties as much as we can – emotionally, financially and practically.

We have been overwhelmed by the support and creativity of our fundraisers. In 1977, Roy Castle joined 500 other participants to perform the then largest tap dance at the BBC TV Centre. Every year we host a National Tapathon to honour the legacy of this remarkable man, and we managed to raise thousands this year with people taking part in over Zoom! We’ve also had support from those heading out on virtual runs and even one of our own staff raffling off a 2x2inch of his skin for a tattoo of the highest bidder’s choosing!

We have a long road ahead and we fear there are harder situations to come. We continue to need the help of our supporters to ensure we can continue to be there for Vicky, Brian and the 46,000 other people who are diagnosed with lung cancer every single year.

For ways you can get involved or to make a donation, please visit www.roycastle.org