It took Jade 4 years to get her lung cancer diagnosis

Jade was initially prescribed inhalers for asthma and sent to a breast cancer clinic

I’m Jade, an active 33-year-old who loves the outdoors, spending time with my husband and our house bunnies, and pausing to enjoy the small things in life.

When I was diagnosed with stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer in 2022, I’d already spent four years trying to find out what was wrong. I first went to my GP in 2018 with a persistent cough, hoarseness, and a lump in my neck. I was prescribed inhalers in case of asthma and even sent to a breast cancer clinic. Some of my X-rays were described as “borderline”, but with no obvious risk factors, lung cancer wasn’t considered.

Being diagnosed with cancer made me pause and realise how important self-care is - now it’s a priority for me. When I get swept up in the chaos of everyday life, I remind myself of that. Self-care can be the simplest things. I love spending time with my husband at home, so I make sure I keep time for that and don’t let my diary fill up completely.

I’ve started journalling, which I love. I don’t have any rules - sometimes I use prompts, sometimes I write our daily highlights, and sometimes I just jot down things I want to remember. It’s become a lovely, random collection of thoughts.

Exercise has always been a big part of my life, though what that looks like keeps changing. Right now, it’s cycling, Parkrun, and hillwalking that I love most. I’m passionate about making time for small moments - even 15 minutes reading or crafting can completely change my mood.

"I love being outdoors and I remind myself that 10 minutes enjoying our garden can bring just as much calm and joy as a day walking in the mountains." - Jade