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Lung CancerArrow
aged 71-81
Interview LC39  

Interview LC39

Age at Interview: 73
Sex: Female
Age at Diagnosis: 70
Background: Clerk (retired), widowed, 2 children.
Brief outline:Diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer October 2000, followed by radiotherapy from outside the chest to the lung. In 2002 developed pain in the back, treated with radiotherapy.


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Describes how television adverts warning people about the dangers of cigarette smoking upset her.

 



Do you find you can talk to other people about lung cancer, neighbours and friends as well as family?

Well we talk about, “How are you today?” that sort of thing but you don't go round, people avoid the subject, people that, well I had one very good friend just kept away, never saw her once I told her.

Why do you think that is?

I think people are afraid of it. And people in our lung cancer group have said that they've had friends who've crossed the road rather than speak to them.

Why do you think they're afraid?

I don't know it's always been a sort of taboo subject hasn't it?  Unless you know somebody or you've got somebody in your family with it you don't really bother much about it. I hate those adverts that come on the television when they finish it by saying two weeks after this she died. And one of them said when you've got lung cancer you drowned. And I said to the nurse, I was really offended by this, well by all of them. I know they're to stop people smoking but they're not pleasant to watch when you've got lung cancer. And the nurse told me that you don't drown. And then we did ask what really happens to you and she said, “Well the cancer grows bigger and gradually takes over your body and you get weaker and that's it.” So it's not a death by drowning.
Karol Sikora - Lung cancer
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