Mum whose rib pain put down to 60-hour work weeks turns out to be lung cancer

View 4 Images

A mum who initially attributed her rib pain and dizziness to the physical strain of working 60-hour weeks was left stunned when she was diagnosed with lung cancer, with doctors discovering 11 tumours in her brain.

Lisa Gillies, 53, was given the devastating news that she had stage four lung cancer, which had spread to her brain due to a genetic EGFR mutation typically found in non-smokers, in December 2023.

Despite regular blood tests and monitoring of her low iron levels, it wasn't until Lisa returned to her GP complaining of dizziness that further investigations were carried out.

A subsequent CT scan at Bournemouth Hospital revealed a shadow on her lung, and a biopsy confirmed the heartbreaking diagnosis.

Immediately starting an oral treatment, Lisa saw the primary tum