ALK Positive Lung Cancer UK

Talking to Gen Z about Lung Cancer: Breaking Barriers on TikTok How do you talk to Gen Z about a topic like lung cancer? At ALK+ UK, we’ve found that reaching a younger audience means meeting them where they are—on TikTok. Our goal is to share a message that lung cancer can affect anyone, even young, healthy non-smokers, and to highlight the advancements that bring hope. The 2024 Consumer Behavior Index (CBI) found that 64% of Gen Z now use TikTok for search—often more than Google. Unlike our Instagram audience, who are often already part of or connected to the lung cancer community, Gen Z on TikTok might not even realise this issue could be relevant to them. That’s why our TikTok content is different: it’s built to grab attention, educate in seconds, and spark curiosity and conversation. Over the past year, we’ve reached more than 1.5 million people, raising awareness in a way that’s fresh, fast, and impactful. Talking to Gen Z about lung cancer means breaking through assumptions and misconceptions, showing that this isn’t just an “older generation” issue - but that there is real hope for the future even with a diagnosis. #SocialMediaMarketing #TikTokMarketing #LungCancer

Major shift in treatment for some early-stage ALK+ lung cancer patients in England and Wales. NICE has approved Alectinib as an adjuvant (post-surgery) treatment for eligible patients with stage 1B to 3A ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer, replacing chemotherapy in these cases. This recommendation, based on the ALINA trial, provides a targeted approach to reduce recurrence risk. Professor Sanjay Popat explains, “ALK testing results are now key for NSCLC resections, as eligible patients would now be treated with adjuvant Alectinib instead of adjuvant chemo.” More details: https://lnkd.in/e7zbNxwa #LungCancer #NSCLC #ALKPositive

There was such a wealth of valuable information shared at our 3rd ALK+ Lung Cancer Patient Conference in September. Thank you to all our incredible speakers for being so generous with their time and knowledge. We’re delighted to let you know that the videos from the presentations are now available on our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/dqyVG4vX Do check them out and share this with anyone who couldn’t make it. They’re really informative and inspiring too! #lungcancer #livingwithlungcancer #nonsmokinglungcancer #alkpositive #NSCLC

In a sea of information, it’s not always easy to know what to trust - especially when it’s about something as serious as lung cancer. That’s why ALK Positive Lung Cancer UK is grateful to hold the PIF TICK, the UK’s only independently assessed quality mark for health information. This rigorous process reassures our ALK+ community that they’re accessing evidence-based, clear, and reliable information when it matters most. With over 130 accredited members, including trusted names like the NHS and Macmillan Cancer Support, the PIF TICK shows our commitment to accuracy and quality. Rebecca Welsh Patient Information Forum (PIF) #PIFTICK #HealthLiteracy #LungCancer #ALKPositive

Our friends at the Ruth Strauss Foundation are funding essential research on non-smoking lung cancers. Grants of up to £50,000 are available for projects aimed at advancing diagnosis, treatment, and support for patients. Applications close November 7, 2024, and are open to UK universities, NHS hospitals, hospices, and research institutions. #NonSmokingLungCancer #NSCLC #LungCancerResearch

It’s World Mental Health Day - a timely reminder of the often-overlooked impact of lung cancer on mental wellbeing. The mental weight of living with lung cancer is HUGE and can feel just as challenging as the physical side, yet conversations about it are too rare. To support patients and families, we have some great resources on our website: * 17 videos: Professionally developed insights on a range of topics to help navigate the emotional impact of lung cancer. * “Lung Cancer and Your Mental Health” Guide: A straightforward guide with tips for talking about and managing the mental effects of a diagnosis. * Podcast Series: Featuring expert and patient discussion on self-advocacy and living with an ALK+ diagnosis. This clip features our Chair, Debra Montague on the “Psychological Burden” podcast discussing the emotional impact of ALK+ lung cancer. You can find this and other episodes from the series on our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYpCdxXk #WorldMentalHealthDay24 #lungcancer #CancerWellbeing #ALKPositiveLungCancer

🙏 Thank you Kierandeep Sandhu for your wise and wonderful words about our ALK+ Lung Cancer Patient Conference at the end of September: “Connecting with people who are going through similar journeys is important and doesn’t make you feel so alone. I was so grateful to be in the company of the strongest people I know. I got to catch up with ALK+ lung cancer patients I met previously and also met some new fresh faces. It’s incredible how different all our journeys and experiences with the medical professionals around us can be. I am hope for a lot of other patients and didn’t realise how many people may look up to me. I get asked a lot: how do I do it? Working? Gym? Travel? Coping with the mental strain of my treatment? My answer is simply mindset. Positivity is a superpower, and once you have it anything is possible. We were blessed with talks from some of the best oncologists, we also had a lung clinical nurse specialist making sure we know what to expect from our CNS. Debra gave us an exciting update from the charity and continues to do an amazing job. You learn so much from other patients’ experiences. Being able to sit around a table with so many other patients is an invaluable experience. It was lovely getting to know other patients and their carers aside from cancer too. I encourage anybody suffering with ALK+ lung cancer to attend next year.” Kizz, ALK+ UK member #LungCancerCommunity #ALKPositiveLungCancer #NSCLC

💡Email your MP opportunity💡 Will you help us #CatchUpWithCancer on behalf of UK cancer patients facing treatment delays? Please take a moment to invite your MP to our next campaign event on Wednesday, October 23. With a third of patients waiting too long, we need political support to turn this around and help people live better and longer. Using our simple template, you can make a difference in the time it takes to boil a kettle! Every email counts. Thank you 🧡 https://bit.ly/38p6cwt Photo: RTUK Chair Prof Price, Trustee Andy Tudor, CUWC co-founder Craig Russell, patient advocate Holly Masters, David Smith MBE and RTUK Director Sarah Quinlan MBE.

The UK government has allocated £2.5 million toward developing a £120 blood test capable of detecting 12 common cancers, including lung cancer, by identifying cancer markers in blood samples. This funding is in early stages, with a goal to improve the test’s speed and accessibility for NHS use within 5-7 years. It’s a promising step toward earlier cancer detection and better outcomes. We’ll monitor this closely to see how it could benefit early diagnosis for our community. #EarlyDiagnosis #CancerScreening #ALKPositive #LungCancer

It’s exactly 8yrs since I was told I had lung cancer. I know I can’t believe it either. The scary bit is it doesn’t feel like 8yrs and I really wish time would slow down as in all likelihood I don’t have another 8yrs. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the time I have had and I am currently feeling great with no suggestion I am going anywhere in the next 8 days, weeks, months but years? Hmmm, I’d love be to be proved wrong 😉 I have certainly changed since 2016, I am much more accepting of others and no longer quick to judge as it’s true, we really don’t know what’s going on in people’s lives. I know friends from pre-BC (before cancer) will find this hard to believe 😆 I’ve also lost more ‘friends’ than I ever thought possible and feel blessed to still be here. We still don’t understand why some ALKies do well on their targeted treatments whilst others don’t. However, I have also met some amazing people I would never have come into contact with if I hadn’t developed lung cancer. I have also done things I never thought I would have the courage to do. Life on the whole, is very good and I have settled into the 3monthly lifecycle of an ALKie (between scans) very well now. No big celebrations this year, just quiet reflection on how lucky I am to still be here, surrounded by family & friends and secretly hoping I get to the big 10th Cancerversary- I will certainly do all I can to be here then and will try to slow the next 2yrs down in the meantime ❤️ Debra Montague Founder & Chair ALK Positive Lung Cancer UK #NSCLC #ALKPositive