Parmelia man shines a light on lung cancer

Each passing day shared with family and friends is special for Parmelia man Greg Stevenson who has stage four lung cancer.

The 50-year-old has shared his story in light of the Australian Lung Foundation's Lung Health Awareness Month and the Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event this weekend.

Mr Stevenson was diagnosed in June after going to the doctors with a cough and a sore chest and said the news came as a shock after leading a healthy lifestyle.

"We went down to Rockingham General Hospital and on that same day they did all the tests and studies and I walked out in the afternoon with stage four lung cancer," he said. "Lidia (my wife) and I were in absolute shock, we were absolutely devastated."

Mr Stevenson said apart from a dry cough now and then, which he put down to allergies; there were no signs to suggest he was sick.

"The only reason they picked it up was because I had a chest X-ray," he said.

Mr Stevenson said doctors pinned the cause of the cancer down to his exposure to asbestos in the 1970s and early 1980s.

"I smoked in my early 20s for a brief period … but all my doctors stated I had the lungs of a person who would have never smoked," he said.

"It is all about awareness but it is also about educating people that you don't necessarily have to have been a smoker to get lung cancer."

Mr Stevenson said because the cancer was detected so late, his chest filled with fluid and caused the cancer cells to spread throughout his body.

His message to others is to have a chest scan at age 49 when doctors recommend a range of other health tests - a scan which could have prevented him reaching stage four.

Mr Stevenson said he was being treated as a palliative patient and the most important thing to him now was spending time with family and friends.

Lung Foundation Australia chief executive Heather Allan said about 8000 Australians died from lung cancer each year - more than 20 people a day. She said a multifaceted approach to the earlier detection of lung cancer, timely access to treatment and more money for research was needed to fight the disease. The Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event is on Saturday at AH Crawford Lodge, 55 Monash Avenue, Nedlands from 6.30pm for a 7pm start.