At 26, I never imagined it could be lung cancer
Rasika, from the UK, was 26 when a cough that would not go away turned out to be lung cancer.
Fit, healthy and with no history of smoking, she was told it was probably allergies or something linked to Covid. Her story is about being young, being dismissed, and having to press to be taken seriously.
In Rasika’s words
“It started with a cough lasting for four weeks, and doctors dismissed it, saying it was just allergies or something to do with Covid. When I pressed, they got me an X-ray, which showed a patch in my left lung. I was exercising regularly and eating healthy, so I hesitated to seek treatment for a cough. I was 26 years old when all this started, so thought it probably was just something normal. They gave me cough syrup and asked me to follow up if things don’t get better. ”
What Rasika wishes had been different
“I wish doctors took things seriously and would have suggested all the tests. I am not a doctor, so I never imagined that someone so young like me, without history of smoking, can get diagnosed with lung cancer.”
What this shows
Rasika had a cough for four weeks. Because she was young, fit and had never smoked, both she and her doctors put it down to something common, like allergies or Covid. It was only when she pushed for more that an X-ray found the cause.
Lung cancer can affect anyone with lungs, at any age. A cough that lasts three weeks or more is worth getting checked, whether or not you have ever smoked. If you have been treated for something else and it is not going away, go back and ask about further tests.