Eleesa's story
How lung cancer screening helped Eleesa make changes to protect her lung health.
When Eleesa saw an ad for lung cancer screening on Facebook, she knew right away that she wanted to take part.
Eleesa, 60, had smoked since she was 14 and was curious about how smoking had affected her lungs.
Based in regional Queensland, Eleesa was one of the first in her area to participate in the National Lung Cancer Screening Program, which offers free lung scans for eligible Australians aged 50 to 70, who have a significant smoking history, and currently smoke or have quit within the last 10 years.
“I went to my doctor to discuss lung cancer screening,” she said. “I was the first of his patients to do it.”
Her doctor referred her for a free low-dose CT scan to check for signs of lung cancer.
“The scan was a breeze,” she said. “I popped into the clinic in town, and I was back in the car in under 15 minutes. A few days later, my doctor called me with the results.”
Fortunately, Eleesa was lung cancer-free. But the scan had picked up early onset emphysema.
The results were a wake-up call that changed everything.
“That was enough for me, to make the decision to stop smoking,” she said. “With my doctor, we put together a plan to quit smoking. Now I’m two months smoke-free.”
Eleesa’s story is a great example of how the program is designed to identify lung cancer, but can sometimes pick up other conditions.
Since making lifestyle changes from her scan results, Eleesa has already noticed a difference in her life.
“I’m so grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “I’m sleeping heaps better and I feel more energetic.”
“My doctor reassured me that my lungs will see a big improvement over the next year or two.”
Getting screened isn’t just a one-off, either. Those part of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program can receive a free lung scan regularly to keep track of their lung health. You also don’t need to quit smoking to be eligible for the Program.
Eleesa hopes her story encourages others to check their eligibility and get screened. Lung cancer screening is free for eligible Australians, with extra services and support available for people living in rural and remote areas.
“Everyone should know about this and get screened if you can,” she said.
“It could save your life.”
- Screening