Wirral people urged 'listen to your lungs' (From Wirral Globe)
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Wirral people urged 'listen to your lungs'
10:21am Friday 26th October 2012 in News
WIRRAL people are being urged to ‘listen to your lungs’ as part of a new awareness campaign.
The British Lung Foundation has teamed up with the cancer information van (iVan) to promote the project throughout October and November.
During 2010 in Wirral, 120 men died from the disease – 37% higher than the national average – while 118 local women lost their battle which is 16% higher than the average.
Fiona Johnstone, Wirral’s director of public health, said: “Lung disease is largely preventable and treatable, so go along and speak to one of our specialist advisors at the iVan on 5 or 13 November.”
Lung cancer affects 33,000 people every year in England, with the majority of cases occurring in people over the age of 55. In 2009, lung cancer claimed more than 28,000 lives in England. Less than 10 per cent of lung cancer patients survive the disease for at least five years after diagnosis.
The iVan will be at Asda Birkenhead, Grange Road entrance, on November 5, and on November 13, it will be at Asda Woodchurch, Woodchurch Road. The unit will be on site at both locations between 10am and 4pm.
Staff from local respiratory teams will be on hand to test for a variety of lung diseases. As usual, staff from iVan will provide cancer advice and information and there will be opportunities to speak to a specialist cancer nurse.
