'Anyone can get it': Portsmouth dad with stage four lung cancer urges people to take symptoms seriously

Pete Blackman, 54, is sharing his story about his lung cancer diagnosis as he heads a national campaign, which is being run by Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, to try and raise awareness.

‘On The Right Path’, which will run throughout November which is the national month of lung cancer awareness, aims to help people with symptoms of lung cancer to take the right course to a speedy diagnosis and treatment.

Pete had always been healthy and rarely got unwell until four years ago when he began having a series of chest infections which over time worsened and affected his ability to breathe properly.

The dad of one from Drayton was treated with antibiotics for his chest infections and when the symptoms continued he was sent for an x-ray where he was then diagnosed with pneumonia, which he was told could take up to three months to get better, but when the weeks passed and there was no improvement, Pete had to do something to get help.

Pete said: ‘I am lucky that I’m here four years later but I get told I’ve ‘done brilliant’ as if that’s it.

‘It’s a huge cliche but it’s one day at a time. I struggled with that initially but you just have to see what happens. It was just a case of not overthinking stuff, because anytime I did that it was quite traumatic.

‘There might be another 50-year-old bloke out there on a similar journey who can change course because they see this. Anyone can get lung cancer.’

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The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is the only UK charity offering help and support to all affected by the disease, and approximately 48,500 new lung cancer cases are diagnosed in the UK every year, which is the equivalent to 130 every day.

Paula Chadwick, chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: ‘Our campaign, and Pete’s involvement, is so important. This year, more than ever before, we are urging everyone to help themselves and each other, by acting swiftly if they spot changes in their health. Get checked out, and make sure you get on the right path to diagnosis and treatment.’

Pete and his family have been affected dramatically by not only the diagnosis, but also the pandemic but they have not let it stop them continue their love for travelling and since his news they have travelled to Rome, Majorca, Venice, Israel, Palestine, and Iceland.

He added: ‘The only thing that does affect me is the anxiety I feel before my scans. In fact, we sometimes call this ‘scanxiety’. It’s the worry of the unknown, of how my body is responding to treatment vs what my cancer is doing but I've come up with techniques to put myself more at ease.

‘My wife and daughter have been just fantastic, it was a complete shock to them. They’ve both been affected by the news, but they’ve been amazing.

‘I couldn’t have done it without their support, they’ve been with me every step of the way. I’m really close to my nephews and nieces, and their families. They’ve been brilliant as well.’