Telford man living with lung cancer issues plea to help save lives
A former Telford newsagent who lost his dad to lung cancer before being diagnosed with the disease himself is backing a Cancer Research UK drive to save more lives.
Two years ago Tony Eastment was told that, without treatment, he could have just months to live. But since having chemotherapy and radiotherapy, scans have repeatedly shown his tumour shrinking.
Even though his cancer can’t be cured, Tony says advances in research have given him more precious time with his family.
That’s why the 71-year-old father of four has teamed up with his family to support Cancer Research UK during Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
Campaign to help save more lives
The campaign to help save more lives from lung cancer - the UK’s biggest cause of cancer death - comes as new analysis by Cancer Research UK reveals how progress being made is bringing hope to thousands of families like theirs.
Researchers have found that, in the West Midlands and Shropshire region, the lives of around 10 people are saved from lung cancer every day. And, since the 1970s, around 61,600 deaths have been avoided from the disease in the region - thanks to research and improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Cancer Research UK scientists have been at the forefront of these advances. More than 8 in 10 people with lung cancer who are prescribed cancer drugs in the UK, receive at least one drug that the charity has helped to develop.
And in the last decade, it has invested over £231 million in lung cancer research. This includes the TRACERx study, which has revealed critical insights into how lung cancer evolves and spreads and developing LungVax - the world’s first vaccine designed to prevent lung cancer in people at high risk of the disease.
Progress can’t come soon enough
For Tony, more progress like this can’t come soon enough.
“It’s encouraging to hear the enormous strides being made in the fight against lung cancer, but we need to do more,” said Tony, whose dad Bob died of lung cancer in 1983, aged 60.
“I’ve been able to see first-hand the huge difference that research has made since my own father’s treatment. That’s why it’s so important to keep supporting Cancer Research UK’s work to make new discoveries that will beat this terrible disease once and for all.”
Tony, who used to be a drummer in a band before taking over the Eastment chain of newsagents in 1981, was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in January 2023. He was initially told he had a hiatus hernia but eight months on, when his health failed to improve, tests confirmed he had stage four lung cancer.
A life-long smoker, Tony was given two types of chemotherapy including carboplatin and etoposide phosphate, which Cancer Research UK played a pivotal role in developing.
In May last year he began 15 sessions of radiotherapy on his lung followed by a further ten sessions of targeted radiotherapy on his brain.
His daughter Stephanie said:” We were devastated when dad was diagnosed because he’d been ill for eight months and doctors had put it down to a hiatus hernia. He got sent for further tests because he was tired all the time and losing weight. When the results came in just before Christmas, they said he’d have four to six months to live without any treatment so accepting chemotherapy was a no-brainer.
“Since treatment finished in June last year, he has had scans every three months which have shown the tumour is still shrinking.
“It’s clear that treatment has made a huge difference and that’s why I want to channel my energy and efforts into something positive that I hope will help others facing cancer.”
Symptoms mistaken for less serious conditions
Despite gains in understanding the disease, lung cancer survival continues to be lower than most other cancer types. Currently, only 1 in 10 people will survive for 10 years or more.
That’s in part because lung cancer symptoms can often be mistaken for less serious conditions, meaning many people are diagnosed late when treatment is less likely to be successful. As well as helping to accelerate better and kinder treatments, Cancer Research UK is backing research into novel ways of diagnosing cancer early to improve survival. This includes harnessing AI and developing blood tests that detect tumour DNA in the bloodstream.
Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer in the UK. That’s why the Eastment family are also urging people across Shropshire to help create a future free from the harms of tobacco by emailing their MP and asking them to support the recently tabled Tobacco and Vapes Bill that will increase the age of sale for tobacco products.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Shropshire, Paula Young, said: “From uncovering the causes of lung cancer to pioneering drugs to treat it and campaigning for change, we’re powering progress for thousands of people affected by lung cancer – all thanks to the generosity and commitment of our supporters. But our work isn’t done.
“We want to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer – no matter who they are or where they’re from. So, we’re grateful to the Eastment family for sharing their story and helping to highlight why we must go further and faster.
“This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we hope people will do what they can to show their support - whether that’s backing our Smokefree UK campaign or donating to help our scientists make the next big breakthrough.”
To support life-saving research, donate monthly to Cancer Research UK at cruk.org/donate.
