Trust nurse Gill Overton was invited to a prestigious national event to help promote her role caring for lung cancer patients.
Gill, a Macmillan lung cancer nurse specialist, recently attended a reception at the House of Commons, Westminster, along with other UK based lung cancer nurses and patients.
It was organised by the James Brokenshire MP, who himself was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017.
The purpose was to raise awareness of lung cancer to MPs and promote the vital role.
The event was timed to coincide with the release of the Lung Cancer Nursing UK 2020 survey ‘Caring for the future: understanding the importance of lung Cancer Nurse Specialists’.
Recognised supporters in attendance
Sir Andrew Strauss, former England Cricket Captain, and Chris Draft, former linebacker for the Washington Redskins both supported the event.
Equally, they have had personal experience of lung cancer, sadly both losing their wives to the disease. Ruth Strauss was 46 and Keasha Draft only 38 – both were non-smokers.
Sir Andrew and Chris have both set up fundraising foundations in memory of their wives.
Team Draft is dedicated to raising lung cancer awareness. As well as increasing research funding by shattering the misconception that lung cancer is a smoker’s disease. In addition, the purpose of the Ruth Strauss Foundation is to fund research into rare lung cancer. They also provide emotional, psychological and wellbeing support to patients and their families.
Pictured is Gill Overton with Andrew Strauss.