Marie Keating Foundation issues urgent call to Change How We See Lung Cancer, Get Symptoms Checked and Reduce Lung Cancer Death Rates

By Danielle Norton November 2, 2023 Updated January 4, 2024 6 min read

Liz Yeates, CEO Marie Keating Foundation, lung cancer patient, Ted O'Driscoll, and awareness advocates, Venetia Quick and Catherine O'Flaherty, kicking off Lung Cancer Awareness Month on November 1st outside Leinster House with the launch of the Big Check Up campaign calling on the Government, stakeholders and the public to change how we see lung cancer, raise symptom awareness and introduce a National Lung Cancer Screening Programme. As part of the campaign, the charity released new research which shows that just 3% of women understand that lung cancer claims more women's lives than any other and less than one third of the population (29%) feel they know the signs and symptoms to watch out for in relation to lung cancer. For more visit mariekeating.ie Picture Andres Poveda

Only 5% of Irish people are aware that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women, while just 20% know that it is the cancer that claims the most lives among men.

The figures were revealed in new research commissioned by the Marie Keating Foundation who have today issued a stark warning that Ireland is not making satisfactory progress on lung cancer, stating that “lung cancer death rates remain shockingly high, while symptom awareness is alarmingly low”.