“I don’t know if I would still be here if I hadn’t gone to my lung cancer screening” – Caroline’s story
Caroline Digby was 60 when she was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2024. Like many people invited to the Lung Cancer Screening Programme, she almost didn’t go.
“I had no symptoms at all,” Caroline explains. “No cough, no pain. I’d stopped smoking about three years earlier, although I do live with COPD and asthma. The letters kept coming, then the phone calls. I put it off every time. I think, if I’m being honest, fear was the biggest thing.”
Caroline also cares for her 36‑year‑old daughter, who she lives with, and finding the time to attend an appointment felt difficult. It took a visit from her niece for Caroline to finally make it work. “She came to stay and I thought, right, this is my chance. I booked an early morning appointment and went along.”
The scan itself was straightforward. “There was no pain, nothing to worry about. Everyone was really kind and reassuring. They said they’d be in touch with the results, and I went home thinking that would be that.”
Two weeks later, Caroline received a phone call that changed everything. A lump had been found on her lung, and she needed further tests. From that point on, things moved quickly. Her initial lung scan was on 1st April. By 15th April she had been contacted with the results, and by the end of the month she had undergone a PET scan and lung function tests. In early May she had a guided biopsy, followed by further investigations.
On 21st June, Caroline was told she had lung cancer.
“When they first found it, the tumour was about 2.5cm,” she says. “By June, it had grown to 7cm. That really shocked me. It shows just how fast things can change, even if you feel completely fine.”
Initially, surgery was considered. Caroline met with the surgical team and attended pre‑operative appointments, but the risks were too high. Removing the tumour would have meant taking away a third of her lung, and her remaining lung function wasn’t strong enough to cope.
Determined to do everything she could, Caroline committed to intensive prehabilitation, even completing three 20‑minute treadmill sessions a day. Despite her efforts, surgery was deemed unsafe, and a different approach was taken.
Caroline began a six‑week course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in August. “Within three weeks, the tumour had already started to shrink,” she says. “I was incredibly lucky, I didn’t have any side effects. It really showed how important gaining fitness and looking after your health before treatment can be.”
She finished treatment in September 2024 and was told there was no longer any active cancer, however it could one day return, so she was moved onto regular follow‑up scans. Like many people living beyond cancer, Caroline found this period emotionally challenging. “The three‑monthly scans were hard, but I had support from a Macmillan volunteer, which helped a lot.”
When her scans were spaced out to every six months, the anxiety increased. “The waiting, the not knowing – that’s when the stress really peaked.” As a result, Caroline’s team adjusted her follow‑up scans to every three to four months, which has helped her feel more supported and manage her anxiety.
Today, Caroline is feeling positive. A recent breast scan also came back clear, and she stays as active as she can. “I try to get out for about three hours, three times a week, when I’m able. I’ve got a very supportive family, and my next scan is in May.”
Caroline now uses her experience to help others. She volunteers to speak at open days at her GP practice, sharing her story and encouraging people to take up their lung cancer screening invitation. Looking back, Caroline’s message is simple:
“I don’t know if I would be here if I hadn’t gone to that screening appointment. The key thing for me is, if you have no symptoms, then that is the time to go. If something is there then it can be found early, when it can be treated. Given how fast my tumour grew, I honestly don’t know if I would be here now. If I could drive people there myself, I would.”
Lung Cancer Screening Programme
Lung cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms early on. That’s why screening is so important. The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme aims to find lung cancer early, before symptoms appear, in those who are at higher risk.
If you are aged between 55 – 74, and are a previous or current smoker, you may be invited for a screening by your GP practice. The appointment is an initial health check, sometimes followed by a low-dose CT scan. It’s quick, painless and non-invasive – but it could save your life. Find out more: Lung Cancer Screening
However, lung cancer can affect people at any stage. If you notice any of the following symptoms, especially if they last for three weeks or more, book an appointment with your GP:
- A cough that does not go away
- Coughing up blood, even a small amount
- Shortness of breath
- Ongoing chest infections
- Chest or shoulder pain
- Persistent tiredness or unexplained weight loss
If you’re worried about any symptoms, don’t wait – speak to your GP.
For information and resources on the Lung Cancer Screening programme, including Easy Read leaflets, visit: Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance’s Targeted Lung Health Checks
