Lung cancer doesn’t always look how you’d expect

The signs can be vague, easy to miss, or brushed off as something else.

A man with dark hair and glasses is holding up his hand in front of him to signal 'stop' or 'halt', while looking downward with his eyes closed and his other hand near his chin as he coughs.

Find out what to look for and what to do if symptoms don’t go away.

Get Checked! is Lung Cancer Europe’s awareness campaign - now in its fifth year. It’s helping more people across Europe catch lung cancer early and feel less alone after diagnosis.

This year we’re shifting the focus to what comes after diagnosis.

Under the theme Get Supported, we’re exploring the impact of support on people affected by lung cancer with a particular focus on mental health and emotional well-being.

We’re looking for people across Europe who are open to sharing their experience - not just about treatment, but about what helped them really cope (or what was missing).

 That might include mental health support, caregiving, good information, or things like movement, breathing or relaxation.

A person holding a handful of small rocks and seashells, sitting outdoors with their leg visible and wearing denim shorts, with the text 'We want to tell your lung cancer story...' overlaid.
Neon sign with a hand holding lungs illustration and the text 'Get supported!' in orange.

  • Lung cancer symptoms can include a persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue that won’t go away, chest or shoulder pain, and unexplained weight loss. If these symptoms last more than a few weeks, it’s time to get checked.

  • Yes. Lung cancer can affect anyone – including people who have never smoked. In fact, rates are rising among women and younger people with no smoking history. If you have lungs, you can get lung cancer.

  • Get Checked! is Lung Cancer Europe’s awareness campaign. Now in its fifth year, it aims to raise awareness of lung cancer symptoms, improve early diagnosis, and challenge outdated assumptions about who is at risk.

Get the facts about lung cancer and find out how to be part of Get Supported! 6 quick answers about symptoms, support and our 2025 campaign.

  • 2025 is all about support. This year’s Get Checked! theme is Get Supported!, exploring what happens after diagnosis – and the kinds of support that help people live with lung cancer.

  • The campaign highlights five key areas: mental health and emotional well-being, caregiving and social support, clear and simple treatment information, nutrition and exercise, and complementary therapies like meditation or yoga alongside treatment.

  • If you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer – or supported someone who has – you can help shape this year’s campaign. Sign up HERE and we’ll be in touch.

What does support look like for you?

  • A smiling woman with short dark hair, wearing a black and gold patterned top, stands in front of a textured stone wall.

    "Feeling informed about my specific type of rare lung cancer (ALK+) and being looked after by people who understand it."

    — Emma

  • A smiling man wearing glasses and a checkered shirt stands in front of a pink wall.

    "For me it's the knowledge that my friends and family have always been there for me without question."

    — James

  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles, wearing a denim shirt and a necklace with two interlinked circles, making a surprised or excited facial expression.

    "Having the people around you to make you feel understood and not the odd one out at a party you never wanted to be invited to in the first place."

    — Lizzie

  • "The amazing people who also have ALK+ lung cancer that I’ve met on my journey."

    — Tina

  • "Knowing that my oncology team's calm professional manner is reassuring and they are with me every step of the way on my lung cancer journey."

    — Martin

  • "You need to advocate for yourself so much, especially when asking for mental health support. Nothing is offered, you have to ask for everything."

    — Allison

  • "Always there in the background if you want it. On my day of diagnosis, immediate support was given and has never stopped two years later."

    — Gillian

Become a Get supported! volunteer
A woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair smiling at the camera, wearing a dark leather jacket and a blue lanyard around her neck.

Helping understand what support really means

“It feels like a real privilege to play a part in Get Checked! and the legacy it’s built over five years. Finding the right support can be the difference between surviving - and truly living with lung cancer.”

- Angeliki Souri, Get Checked! Project Chair and LuCE VP

Graphic with lungs and magnifying glass icon, and text that reads "Get Checked! 5 Years" in orange and yellow colors, promoting lung health checkups.

5 years of Get Checked!

Since 2021, Lung Cancer Europe’s Get Checked! campaign has been helping people across Europe recognise the signs of lung cancer and take action early.

Each year, we’ve focused on something new:

  • 2021: Get Checked – Know the symptoms

  • 2022: Get Diagnosed – Understand the process

  • 2023: Get Tested – Learn about biomarker testing

  • 2024: Get Educated – Challenge the myths and stigma

And now… 2025 is all about what happens next.

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