Andrea Gilbert hopes that when politicians hear her experience of being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer — as a non-smoker in her early 50s — they will think of the 12,000 lives that a national screening program could potentially save.
The Perth woman is part of a group converging on Parliament House on Wednesday to call for the urgent introduction of a screening program which The Lung Foundation says will prevent 12,000 deaths from lung cancer over 10 years.
Ms Gilbert said her case was an example of why screening was needed to detect cases of the disease, which was the leading cause of cancer death in Australia.
"Unlike myself, if they find out earlier, they will have more treatment options available to them and hopefully be able … to live with lung cancer rather than just be given a couple of options," she said.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows the likelihood of surviving lung cancer for five years is just 20 per cent.
By comparison, the five-year survival rate for bowel cancer is 70 per cent.
Lung Foundation Australia is using the launch of a new report in Canberra on Wednesday to pressure the federal government to urgently introduce the new screening program.
Devastating and shocking
Ms Gilbert said she could never have imagined the diagnosis she received two weeks after being sent for an x-ray for a lingering cough.
"I was told that I had stage four lung cancer, and that was devastating for myself and my family," Ms Gilbert said.
Almost 8,700 people died of lung cancer in 2021 and 13,810 were diagnosed with the disease.
Lung Foundation Australia chief executive Mark Brooke said lung cancer was often diagnosed in its late stages.
"A national targeted lung cancer screening program will be transformative," Mr Brooke said.
"It will mean that patients will be diagnosed earlier stage — stage one and stage two, when there's [an opportunity] to bring all of the new drugs and all of the new treatments to their care."
The foundation's report — The Next Breath, Accelerating Lung Cancer Reform in Australia 2022-2025 — is also calling for the urgent recruitment of 100 specialist lung cancer nurses.
According to the report, lung cancer receives the lowest levels of Commonwealth funding for specialist nurses, with 37 nurses for every 616 cases.
The report states that lung cancer is causing greater levels of anxiety, stress and depression in patients than other types of cancer.
Mr Brooke said cost was the main barrier to introducing the screening program and additional nurses.
"[That's] really the wrong question," Mr Brooke said.
"It [should be] 'what happens if we don't implement this'?"
Dogged by stigma
Mr Brooke said stigma was another factor in the response to lung cancer.
He highlighted a finding in the report that one in three Australians believed people with lung cancer "brought it upon yourself".
"And that's because of a mistaken belief that only people who smoke can get lung cancer," he said.
"From our perspective, that stigma is all-pervading."
He said it affected empathy, government decision making and investment in research.
Ms Gilbert said she had witnessed the stigma associated with lung cancer.
"When I would actually tell people that's what I have, often the first question is 'oh, do you smoke?' or 'I didn't realise you were a smoker'," Ms Gilbert said.
"If you have lungs, you can be diagnosed with lung cancer.
"I think that's really an important thing for people to know and understand and to look after their lungs and get them checked."
She hoped speaking up in Canberra would help convince the federal government that a national screening program was needed.
Ms Gilbert's daughter Grace, who also travelled to Canberra, said she was incredibly proud of what her mum was doing.
"She has radiated strength and resilience since the day that she was diagnosed," she said.
"And I feel so fortunate to be here in Canberra with her, watching her use her voice to stand up and create change for people like you and me, who may one day be able to screen our lungs early for lung cancer."
Health Minister Mark Butler has been contacted for comment.
