Key Summary
- Boots plans to place signage near medicines commonly purchased to treat cold, cough and flu, and pain relief, and make available awareness materials in its pharmacy consultation rooms.
- Over 4,500 have undergone training to support those affected by cancer, right from early conversations about symptoms and referrals, through to offering advice on treatment.
- The initiative is being spearheaded by lung cancer campaigner Jules Fielder, with the support of health secretary Wes Streeting and MP Helena Dollimore.
Pharmacy chain Boots has launched a nationwide awareness campaign to help people spot early symptoms of lung cancer and increase survival rates.
Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK, with 49,000 people diagnosed with the disease each year.
In many cases, patients ignore early signs such as a lingering cough, backache, or tiredness, and manage the condition using over-the-counter remedies for a long time before approaching doctors.
As part of the campaign, Boots plans to place signage near medicines commonly purchased to treat cold, cough and flu, and pain relief, and make available awareness materials in its pharmacy consultation rooms.
It will begin rolling out the new materials to its 1,800 stores over the coming weeks.
They aim to encourage customers to pause, think, and recognise when symptoms may need further investigation.
Over 4,500 Boots colleagues have undergone training to support those affected by cancer, right from early conversations about symptoms and referrals, through to offering advice on medicines and treatment.
The initiative is being spearheaded by lung cancer campaigner Jules Fielder following her own lung cancer diagnosis, with the support of health secretary Wes Streeting and MP Helena Dollimore.
Fielder said, “There is a huge stigma attached to lung cancer, and I believe it has made awareness of the signs and symptoms, especially for women and non-smokers like me, far too low.
"This initiative was dreamt up during my long hours of treatment, where I felt strongly that more needed to be done.”
Boots Superintendent Pharmacist Claire Nevinson said, “Lung cancer can be difficult to spot in its early stages because many of the symptoms are easy to dismiss or attribute to something minor. By bringing clear, accessible information into our pharmacies and onto our shelves, we hope that we encourage people to pause, take notice, and seek advice when they need it."
Streeting said, "When I met Jules for the first time, I was struck by her determination. As someone who's been through cancer myself, and whose nan died of lung cancer, these stories hit me differently. Jules’ story shocked me - she's my age, she's never smoked, and she was challenging stereotypes I didn't even realise I held."
Helena Dollimore, who represents Hastings, Rye and the villages, said, "It's great that Boots is stepping up by using its shelf space to raise awareness of the early symptoms of lung cancer. I would urge other pharmacies and supermarkets to follow their lead."
