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We call on the government to implement serious public health measures to save the health of the nation.


The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation has launched one of its biggest campaigns – Women Against Lung Cancer. British women are being asked to join the fight against the disease which is the biggest cancer killer amongst women in the UK.

Launched on Tuesday 26 th September and fronted by actress Dame Judi Dench, is the campaign’s Patron, and the honorary head of Campaign is Dame Gill Oliver who is a trustee of the Foundation.

Women Against Lung Cancer has been set up because of the alarming rise in the number of young women who are contracting the disease and aims to raise awareness of the lung cancer, increase funding and tackle issues such as blame and stigma.

Women Against Lung Cancer’s first priority will be to put pressure on government to address this chronic under funding.

Its aims are:

  • To raise awareness of the lung cancer epidemic
  • To increase funding for lung cancer research, and in particular, research into the early detection of lung cancer
  • To ensure that lung cancer patients receive the best treatment and care
  • To free lung cancer patients from blame and stigma

Women are being urged to go onto the new website www.walcuk.org.uk to sign a petition and to email politicians in support of the campaign. Please look at this website and, if you are a woman, add your support!

Dame Judi Dench, who lost her actor husband Michael Williams five years ago to lung cancer has written to nearly 200 leading women, calling on them to join her in leading the campaign. She wrote the following letter:

I am writing to you as the Patron of the Women Against Lung Cancer campaign to ask for your support.

Every year 38,000 patients are diagnosed with lung cancer, and 34,000 die from this dreadful disease. It is the biggest cancer killer for both men and women – more than breast, bowel and le ukaemia put together. And yet, only 1.4% of the total research funding is spent on lung cancer research. The average prognosis for lung cancer patients from diagnosis to death is less than six months.

We have put up with this intolerable situation for too long and now is the time to take action. So why now and why us?

The lung cancer rate among women is increasing; our children and young people continue to take health risks in their droves, apparently indifferent to the long term consequences. And we women are the guardians of our families’ health – often having to nag dad, partner or son to visit the doctor to check out the persistent tickly cough.

We need to raise the profile of this Cinderella of cancers, and encourage more investment in research and the care of patients.

What can you do? Join the Women Against Lung Cancer campaign on the website www.walcuk.org.uk and help by:

  • Campaigning - talk to your family, friends and colleagues, and encourage all the women you know to join too. Write to your MP – the website makes that easy. Distribute awareness leaflets and posters in your vicinity. Make suggestions and offer your help!
  • Money – make a donation to the campaign and/or help to raise funds from others.

On a personal note, I lost my husband Michael to lung cancer in 2001 which is why I believe so passionately that this is the way forward. I am one of thousands of people affected by this injustice. Please join me in this fight against lung cancer. Together we can make a profound difference.

Best wishes



Dame Judi Dench

Only 26 per cent of women in the UK are alive one year on from diagnosis and twice as many British women are likely to die from lung cancer than the EU average. Within the UK, Scotland remains a lung cancer black spot for women with 44 deaths per 100,000 people compared with 28 per 100,000 people in England.

Dame Gill Oliver, who has over two decades experience of devising and delivering cancer care services will be responsible for the day-to-day direction of the campaign. She said: “It’s vital that women understand just how much this disease can affect them.

“Lung cancer doesn’t have the media or political appeal that breast cancer does – that’s we call it the Cinderella cancer - it gets forgotten. But, 20 per cent of women who get cancer in the UK will get lung cancer, which is why we believe something needs to be done.

“We are also extremely worried by the growing number of children and young women who chose to smoke a 5% increase since 1992 amongst 16-25 year olds. There is a big awareness of the health risks but too many young women are taking up the habit and we need to stop this by offering support and help – not judgement. “

For more facts about women and lung cancer you can download our Pocket Facts