Gill was diagnosed with an incurable non-smoking-related lung cancer in 2018 and died in November 2023. Lung cancer in never-smokers is on the rise and is now the UK’s 8th most common cause of cancer-related death.

ABOUT GILL’S DIAGNOSIS

On the 18th September 2018, Gill visited her GP after developing breathlessness, particularly noticeable with exercise. Her GP recommended a chest x-ray and Gill attended King’s College Hospital for it that day. She was immediately admitted into hospital from the x-ray department as the multiple shadows on her lungs indicated that she may have TB. She remained in hospital for the next four days and was discharged without a definitive diagnosis. On Monday 8th October Gill and her husband Matthew, returned for an appointment during which they received the unexpected news that Gill had incurable, Stage IV lung cancer and all our lives changed forever.

Gill was 36, had never smoked or taken drugs and she rarely drank. She loved her yoga and had been vegetarian most of her life. She was the picture of good health.

We had to wait a couple of weeks for the specific cancer mutation to be determined – this would be critical in assigning a treatment (not a cure) – and in this time Gill suffered a collapsed lung that had to be treated back at King’s. In the subsequent five years this collapsed lung was probably the most painful incident on her journey. She never complained, even through tears of pain.

After initial treatment at King’s, Gill was transferred to the Guy’s Cancer Centre. It was here that Gill began the treatment that went on to give her the next five years of her life. The wonderful Dr Eleni Karapanagiotou at Guy’s subsequently said (and showed) that the cancer was covering 50% of her lungs with similar odds associated with the treatment.

Gill walked out of Guy’s on 2nd November 2018. Wearing her leather jacket.

ABOUT GILL’S CANCER AND TREATMENT

Gill had a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a mutation in the gene for EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor). EGFR is a protein present on cell walls which encourages cells to continue replicating. In EGFR positive lung cancer, the mutation in the EGFR gene leaves it permanently switched “on” leading to unregulated cell growth and hence cancer.

Of the 48,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer each year in the UK, around 90% have NSCLC and of these around 10-15% have EGFR mutations. These mutations are not hereditary (present at birth) but develop later in life as a part of the process of a healthy cell becoming a cancer cell.

Fortunately, EGFR positive lung cancers will respond very well to drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). We are grateful that Gill was able to benefit from some very recently licensed new TKIs, the outcome of many years of cancer research and clinical trials. Her first drug appeared to all but “melt” her cancer away, for a time. Unfortunately, these cancers will almost all become resistant to the drug at some point, meaning they stop being effective. If you would like to know more about Gill’s particular cancer, take a look at: https://www.egfrpositive.org.uk/.

HELPING THOSE DIAGNOSED IN THE FUTURE

Gill was helping to raise awareness about the growing incidence of non-smoking-related lung cancers - if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer – and was keen to support further research into new treatments to help others diagnosed with EGFR positive lung cancers.

The Ruth Strauss Foundation raises awareness and funds for research into rare lung cancers such as Gill’s, as well as supporting families facing the death of a parent. Gill had identified it as the charity she wished to support and she and her husband Matthew had already raised almost £5,000.

Thank you for helping to continue this fundraising in memory of Gill.