Balloons to lift lung cancer efforts
A cloud of yellow balloons floated above Northampton's Market Square when specialist nurses held an event aimed at raising awareness of lung cancer.
Exactly 170 helium balloons, representing the number of people in Northamptonshire who lose their lives to the disease every year, were released into the air by cancer care specialists and people whose lives have been affected by the disease.
Tuesday's event was organised by Macmillan cancer nurses as part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
Lisa Wells, Macmillan cancer nurse specialist at Northampton General Hospital, said lung cancer had become the UK's biggest cancer killer and early diagnosis was important in saving lives.
She said: "This is a very hard disease to catch early. The trouble is that when people get into clinic the cancer is often advanced. We want people to ask their GPs for chest x-rays and point out that they may have symptoms of lung cancer. It is important to remember over 10 per cent of sufferers are non-smokers and we want to raise awareness that this isn't just a smokers' problem."
Mick Tilbury, aged 57, from Bozeat, who is in remission after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, said he supported the event because he wanted to help others. He said: "The reason I am a survivor is because I was diagnosed early and I want to put the message across that early diagnosis is vital."
Marion Billing, from Rushden, whose husband John died, aged 69, from lung cancer earlier this year, was invited to unleash the balloons.
She said: "I am very supportive of what they are doing here today. It is making people aware that they can do things to prevent it and get their doctors involved if anything is up."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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