Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter YouTube
    Latest Articles
    • Watch out there’s a scam about!
    • Driving Life with Conor Faughnan – Episode 46: Larry Donnelly
    • TravelPod: Garden Tours with Frances MacDonald
    • Woman To Woman: Mairead Robinson meets Phyllis Foley
    • Senior Times Classical Collection with John Low – September 2023
    • Register for the 50 Plus Expo, Limerick
    • Public Urged to “Show Your Lungs Some Love” ahead of World Lung Day – Monday September 25th
    • Comfort Clothing at the 50 Plus Show, Limerick 4th November
    Senior Times
    Podcasts
    • Home
    • News
    • Features
      1. Driving Life
      2. Fashion & Beauty
      3. Finance
      4. Food & Wine
      5. Further Education
      6. Galleries
      7. Gardening
      8. IRISH GEN POD SERIES
      9. Health
      10. Hobbies & Pastimes
      11. Legal
      12. Literature
      13. Nostalgia
      14. Profiles
      15. 50 Plus Show
      16. Sport
      17. Travel
      18. What’s On
      Featured
      February 15, 20230

      SeniorTimes Rewind – Mike Murphy talks to Author, Deirdre Purcell

      Recent
      September 22, 2023

      Driving Life with Conor Faughnan – Episode 46: Larry Donnelly

      September 22, 2023

      TravelPod: Garden Tours with Frances MacDonald

      September 22, 2023

      Woman To Woman: Mairead Robinson meets Phyllis Foley

    • Podcast
    • Competitions
    • 50 Plus Show
      • Whats On
      • Register
    • Magazine
      • Previous Issues
      • Subscribe
      • Advertise
    • Meeting Place
    • Contact
    Senior Times
    You are at:Home»Features»Health»Free ‘Cough Checker’ phone-line launched to catch Lung Cancer out

    Free ‘Cough Checker’ phone-line launched to catch Lung Cancer out

    0
    By Senior Times on November 26, 2020 Health

    Broadcaster Maia Dunphy calls on people of Ireland to get worrying coughs checked as lung cancer may hide behind Covid-19 and flu this winter

    The world’s first cough checker phone-line has been launched today to help catch lung cancer out and encourage the public to call their GP if they have concerns. Lung cancer symptoms may be hiding behind COVID-19 and flu this coughing season, which could lead to further cases of late-stage diagnosis, according to the Marie Keating Foundation. The Foundation has teamed up with Maia Dunphy to call on the people of Ireland to catch out lung cancer and dial 1800-COUGHS (1800-268447) if concerned.

    Launching the Big Check Up campaign, Maia Dunphy, broadcaster and author, said, “One in two of us will experience cancer personally at some stage, which is a difficult thing to imagine, even though it is a reality for so many. My own Mum was diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago and we are very thankful that she is well today. By checking up on each other, and talking about our health, we can get more people to think about the early signs of lung cancer and get a worrying cough checked. Covid-19 has taken so much from us already, don’t let it hide the signs of a lung cancer cough.”

    Lung cancer is Ireland’s biggest cancer killer3, despite being largely preventable and treatable, because it is often diagnosed at a late stage3. Research by the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) this year found that  more than a third of people (35%) are not confident they would notice a symptom of lung cancer, while more than half (53%) say they would not act immediately and contact their GP if they noticed a potential sign of lung cancer. Worryingly, a reason many people (14%) are not contacting their GP when they notice a symptom of lung cancer, including a cough, is to not waste their doctors’ time2. Stigma associated with lung cancer remains a key issue, and those most at-risk are least likely to get tell-tale symptoms checked. However, experts agree that recognising the warning signs and speaking to a doctor early can dramatically improve survival rates.

    Common symptoms of lung cancer include4:

    • A persistent cough (longer than 3 weeks)
    • A sudden change in a cough that you have had for a long time
    • Unexplained weight loss
    • Breathlessness
    • Chest pain or shoulder that is unexplained
    • Coughing up blood-stained phlegm.

    Dr Una Kennedy, GP Advisor with the NCCP, who voices the Cough Checker phone-line said, “We want everyone to understand how important it is to speak to a GP if concerned about a constant cough, appetite loss, unexplained weight loss or you find you are easily breathless or really tired, and to have the confidence to get checked. We know people are cocooning or isolating from others at the moment, so they may be unsure about contacting their GP. However, routine health care is still being provided by GPs during the pandemic. GPs are here to help and no matter what type of cough it is, the earlier it is diagnosed the better the outcome.”

     Liz Yeates, CEO, Marie Keating Foundation said, “Lung cancer needs a good listener as it is extremely sneaky. This year it is hiding behind Covid-19 and flu, making it more dangerous than ever to ignore concerns. Our new phone-line will give people the confidence to know it is okay to call their GP and to get ‘that’ cough checked out.  The Marie Keating Foundation is here to support everyone at every step of their cancer journey, but we want to prevent cancer too. We know that early detection improves survival. By recognising the warning signs as early as possible, we can catch lung cancer out.”

    The Big Check Up, supported by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), MSD and Roche Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) Ltd, aims to encourage the Irish public to check up on their family and friends this coughing season, encouraging them to take notice of ‘that’ cough and get it checked by their GP. The free phone-line, 1800-COUGHS (1800-268447), will allow callers to hear advice from a GP on any suspicious cough they may have and includes advice on Covid-19, flu and lung cancer. To find out more about lung cancer and the Big Check Up, visit: www.mariekeating.ie/thebigcheckup/

    Spread the love
    Senior Times
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn

    Senior Times publishes Senior Times magazine and are producers of the SeniorTimes Podcasts. They are also organisers of The 50 Plus Show run throughout the country

    Related Posts

    Public Urged to “Show Your Lungs Some Love” ahead of World Lung Day – Monday September 25th

    Golf club in Donegal recently becomes the first golf club in Ireland to install a solar powered defibrillator cabinet

    Losing it! Population largely unaware hearing loss is linked to dementia

    Comments are closed.

    Driving Life Podcasts

    Gen Pod Series

    Search the Site
    Spotify

    Subscribe

    Our Podcasts

    Senior Times Podcast Platform · Next Up
    Subscribe to our Newsletter
    * indicates required
    Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed
    Follow Us On Facebook
    Follow us on YouTube
    Follow us on Twitter
    Tweets by @seniortimesmag
    Copyright © 2023 Sports & Leisure. Designed by clikcreative.com.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.