Skiing with a broken rib, restoring a classic car and searching for his next treatment
Graeme, from Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, when he was 42. In 2017 he was told it had become stage 4 EGFR+ lung cancer, with a rarer mutation called exon 20.
Thirteen years on from his first diagnosis, he has had surgery, more than 80 cycles of chemotherapy and several targeted treatments. He shared his story with All You Need Is Lungs in 2025, and this Lung Cancer Awareness Month we caught up with him to see how life has been since.
Back on the slopes
This year Graeme went skiing in Austria for a week with a friend from Holland. It was his first time on skis in more than 30 years. He broke a rib and carried on skiing anyway, and he’s already saving for the next trip.
“I was so amazed that I could still achieve things like skiing. I enjoyed it so much that week I forgot I had cancer!”
He and his wife also had a holiday in Corfu. At home, he’s been helping his eldest son with DIY after he and his partner bought their first home. The family has bought a campervan for trips with their dog, and Graeme is restoring a modern classic sports car he hopes to have on the road next year.
When a treatment that works is withdrawn
Since October 2022, Graeme had been taking mobocertinib, a targeted treatment for exon 20. It was withdrawn worldwide in 2023, but supply continued for patients already on it. In May 2026, the manufacturer announced that supply would stop, and Graeme’s last supply ran out at the end of September.
“It just seems cruel that there is a treatment that works for me (and others) but the manufacturer has decided to stop making it.”
He’s now looking for his next treatment. The only NHS option for exon 20 is for people starting their first treatment, and this would be Graeme’s sixth. He’s hoping to access a newer targeted drug through a clinical trial.
“I have every faith in the oncology team looking after me, combined with the support of the cancer community. I’m determined to soon be back on track with a new treatment that works for me.”
What is EGFR exon 20?
EGFR+ lung cancer is caused by a change in a gene called EGFR. Exon 20 insertions are a less common type of EGFR change, and they don’t respond to many of the targeted treatments used for other EGFR mutations. That’s why treatment options can be more limited, and why access to new drugs and clinical trials is so important for people like Graeme.
EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK supports people living with all types of EGFR+ lung cancer, including exon 20.
Giving back
Graeme volunteers and fundraises for the Beatson Cancer Charity in Glasgow. His advice to anyone living with cancer:
“It’s important to continue to try and follow your dreams and adapt to living with cancer as a chronic illness.”
Read more
Read Graeme’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. We’re posting every day throughout November.
#AllYouNeedIsLungs #LungCancerAwarenessMonth #LCAM2026 #EGFR #Exon20 #LungCancer
