A local man has spoken about how a lung cancer scan saved his life.
Owen McGrath, from Merseyside, says he is grateful he did not ignore his appointment as a scan found cancer growing in his left lung – and after treatment he is now cured.
“I’m just so glad I went for the check,” said 72-year-old Owen, who was given a scan through the Cheshire and Merseyside programme.
He urged other people to take advantage of the free NHS checks available, with the NHS Lung Cancer Screening programme launching in Southport and Formby at the end of January.
Owen said: “I didn’t expect the scan to show anything at all, but I later got a call to say they had found something.
“It was a shock, but it meant I was then given more in-depth scans and tests before they confirmed that it was cancer.
“They told me on my birthday but, to be honest, I was just glad they had caught it!
“The treatment wasn’t too bad,” said Owen. “When people think about lung cancer, they think it’s a death sentence, especially if the cancer is growing like mine was, but that is just not true. The treatments they have now mean that you have a chance to get through it. I thought that the treatment itself would be hard on me, but I found it okay – and I’m still alive!”
Owen added: “I would say to anyone who is offered a lung check, just do it. Act on it immediately. You can’t ignore a free check-up – it could save your life!”
NHS Lung Cancer Screening has been finding lung problems – including cancer at its earliest stages when it is much easier to treat successfully – for several years in Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral, Warrington and south Sefton, and will roll out in the Southport and Formby Primary Care Network (PCN) area from Tuesday 27th January 2026.
More than 2.5million people in England aged 55 to 74 who smoke or used to smoke have already been invited for Lung Cancer Screening as part of the biggest programme to improve early lung cancer diagnosis in health service history.
The free checks pinpoint those most at risk and they are offered a chest scan to rule out health problems or prompt more investigation or treatment.
In Cheshire and Merseyside, since checks began in 2019, more than 700 lung cancers have been found, with 80% diagnosed at the early stages of 1 or 2 when treatment is easier.
People diagnosed with lung cancer at an early stage are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose disease is found late.
Lung Cancer Screening – formerly known as Targeted Lung Health Checks – will be offered to eligible patients from 14 GP practices in the PCN over several months.
People will receive an appointment for the check in a text or letter before a telephone interview with a member of the screening team.
If the patient is classed as higher risk, they will be offered a CT scan in a mobile unit which will be situated in the car park of Dunes Leisure Centre, on Southport’s Esplanade.
This scan is far more accurate at picking up cancer than a standard X-ray. The programme also offers support on how best to quit smoking for those who are ready to give up.
Lung cancer is the UK’s biggest cancer killer, claiming the lives of more people than breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers combined. It is a particular issue in parts of Cheshire and Merseyside, with local incidence significantly above the national average.
However, Lung Cancer Screening can significantly improve survival rates by detecting cancer much earlier, even before symptoms appear. But for the checks to work, people need to attend their appointment – even if they feel well.
For more information about Lung Cancer Screening in Cheshire and Merseyside, see: https://www.lhch.nhs.uk/lung-health-check
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