Finally, some hope for Australians with lung cancer
If a national screening program for lung cancer is introduced, it will save lives and help to strip away the stigma of the biggest cancer killer in Australia.
School principal Briony Scott was in her early 50s when she was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015.
When the principal of a private girls school in North Sydney was told she had lung cancer, the diagnosing doctor asked if she smoked. When she replied that she never had, he said, “Well, you might want to think about taking it up now.”
For Briony Scott, principal of Wenona School, this dark exchange hinted at the mindset that has kept lung cancer – the biggest killer of all cancers in Australia – out of the public eye.
Jill MargoSenior writerJill Margo is based in the Sydney office. Jill has won multiple prizes, including two Walkley Awards and is an adjunct associate professor at School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Australia. Connect with Jill on Twitter. Email Jill at jmargo@afr.com
