If you have an unexplained cough for three weeks or more, you need to go to your GP - that’s the message of the NHS lung cancer awareness campaign which launches in January.
Events to help people recognise the early symptoms of lung cancer are being held in the new year, supported by The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
Members of the public will be able to see a giant pair of MEGA lungs® demonstrating how lungs work and talk to medical staff and people who have survived lung cancer.
The events are:
January 16 from 10am - 4pm in The Main Hall, Dunstable Leisure Centre, Court Drive, Dunstable.
January 17 from 10am - 4pom in The Main Foyer, The University of Bedfordshire, Luton Campus, Luton.
Local GP Dr Phil Sawyer said: “It is important to get possible symptoms checked out because cancer caught early is easier to treat or cure.
“If you’re aged 50 or above and have a cough that lasts longer than usual – more than three weeks, or you’re coughing up small amounts of blood, then please make an appointment to see your GP.
“Coughs can be caused by lots of different things and people who just have a lingering cold shouldn’t be worried. But an unexplained three-week cough can be an early sign of lung cancer. Your GP may send you for a simple chest x-ray at the hospital which will help to identify any problems you may have with your lungs. It will probably turn out not to be serious, but if it is cancer, finding and treating it early will make a real difference.”
You can find out more about lung cancer symptoms by visiting www.3weekcough.org