Sara was diagnosed with stage 4 EGFR+ lung cancer in 2023, after a cough that wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t her first experience of cancer. She had been treated for breast cancer around 15 years earlier.
Three years on, she’s living well on targeted therapy, a treatment she describes as a miracle. The side effects are manageable, and she’s making the most of every day.
Finding peace in the here and now
Sara is honest that living with lung cancer is a mind game. She knows the cancer could start to progress at some point.
“I can’t change that, but I can have impact on what I do now.”
Staying in the moment helps, and so does walking. It soothes her mind and gives her space to let herself feel whatever she’s feeling.
“Lung cancer has made me appreciate the littlest things. Sunrises, sunsets, daisies, and the happiness in a Greggs hot sausage roll.”
Giving back, one golf ball at a time
Sara and her husband collect stray golf balls for their local hospice shop. They’ve gathered hundreds so far. She’s also a regular litter picker, and this year she and her family did a sponsored walk for EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK.
A voice in NHS care
Sara uses her experience to help improve care for others. She works with NHS staff, her local Cancer Alliance and the National Team so that people with cancer have a real say in their care.
“My life is different now, but I very much see it as a good life.”
What is EGFR+ lung cancer?
EGFR+ lung cancer is caused by a change in a gene called EGFR. It’s more common in women and in people who have never smoked. Many people with EGFR+ lung cancer can be treated with targeted therapies, which is why biomarker testing at diagnosis is so important. EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK supports people living with EGFR+ lung cancer across the UK.
Read more
Read Sara’s full update and the other 2026 updates at allyouneedislungs.org.uk
All You Need Is Lungs is a joint Lung Cancer Awareness Month campaign from ALK Positive UK, EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK and the Ruth Strauss Foundation.
