'Thankful' Rotherham man urges eligible people to get lung health check after his cancer was caught early

“If you get a Lung Cancer Screening invite, please, please have your appointment.”

That's the message from a “thankful” Rotherham man who is celebrating being cancer-free after the disease was spotted during a scan and treated early – despite him having no symptoms.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month takes place every November and, this year, the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Lung Cancer Screening team is highlighting the people behind the statistics as part of the Behind Every Number campaign and to mark the number of cancers the programme has detected in the region reaches 1,000.

The screening initiative launched in Doncaster as one of ten pilot areas in 2021 - followed by Rotherham in 2022 - with the aim of finding lung cancer at an earlier stage and reducing the health inequalities gap.

The mobile medical facilities installed at Rotherham’s Parkgate Shopping led to the detection of 80 cases of cancer in the two years running until October 2024, with Dr Jason Page, clinical director of LCS in SYB, calling the programme “incredibly successful”.

CT scanning facilities have since been made available in Sheffield, Bassetlaw and Barnsley.

Mirban Hussain from Rotherham didn’t have any symptoms and felt completely fine, but had been hoping he’d be referred for a CT scan as he’d always wanted to have one.

He said: “Reading that I might get to have a CT scan made my decision for me!”

He went for his appointment in 2023.

“I was very frightened and emotional when I got the call that they had found something on my lung,” he said.

“I needed surgery and the team was so supportive.

“I can’t thank my consultant enough - he’s such an amazing man.

“I didn’t need any chemotherapy or radiotherapy after my operation and today, I’m cancer free.

“I’m so thankful I had my Lung Cancer Screening, and I’m so thankful for what it’s done for me and my family.

“If you get a Lung Cancer Screening invite, please, please have your appointment, even if you feel OK or have already quit smoking.”

Mirban has gone on to become a Lung Cancer Screening patient champion and works closely with the SYB Lung Cancer Screening team to raise awareness in Rotherham through various health inequality initiatives.

He also joined the team to present at the 2025 national NHS conference, to talk to delegates about his lived experience.

People aged 55 to 74 who smoke or used to smoke will be invited for free Lung Cancer Screening when the programme reaches their area.

Following a Lung Health Check assessment, those identified as being at a higher risk of getting lung cancer will be offered a low-dose CT scan of their chest.

As well as helping to detect lung cancer earlier, the programme reported in July 2026 that more than 1,500 people in SYB have successfully quit smoking as the result of accepting a referral to their local stop smoking service offered to them during their Lung Health Check.

Dr Jason Page, clinical director for SYB Lung Cancer Screening, said: “Finding lung cancer earlier can make a real difference to the treatment options available and therefore to people’s lives.

“We want everyone who receives an invitation to understand the importance of attending all their Lung Cancer Screening appointments, even if they feel completely well or have already stopped smoking.

“Behind Every Number is a reminder that Lung Cancer Screening is about more than appointments, scans, and statistics.

“It’s about people, their experiences, and giving everyone the best possible opportunity for earlier detection and treatment so they can live a full life far beyond their lung cancer diagnosis.”