What do you expect from a trip to your local supermarket? Maybe some groceries or home essentials.
But for hundreds of Teessiders like Leslie, it has also saved their life from a fatal condition that is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths in the UK.
The Tees Valley Lung Cancer Screening programme invites past and current smokers, aged 55 to 74, to get their lungs checked for free at mobile units across specific supermarket car parks in Teesside.
Since its launch in 2022, more than 79,561 invitations have been sent to eligible individuals as it aims to improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
One of those was sent to Leslie McCaffrey, who credits the acclaimed screening programme for saving his life.
Leslie, 75, smoked 40 cigarettes a day since he was 13 but quit twenty years ago.
In late July 2024, the Guisborough resident received a letter inviting him to attend a lung cancer screening at an ASDA car park in Skelton.
He said: “Although I had no symptoms of lung cancer, it was a no-brainer to attend the clinic.”
Leslie underwent a CT scan at his appointment at the car park on a Sunday afternoon, which took as little as ten minutes.
A week later, Leslie received a phone call from the medical team, who informed him that they had detected an anomaly in his scan.
He was asked to attend an urgent appointment at The James Cook University Hospital for a medical check-up.
Following further enhanced tests, Leslie was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer.
Leslie underwent lifesaving treatment this year, which aimed to cure the cancer, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
As he awaits the results of his treatments, Leslie added:
If not for the programme, I think my condition would have worsened, where things could have gone very wrong. I never knew that a trip to ASDA would save my life.
“I would urge anyone who is invited to the programme to please attend, as this could potentially save your life.”
Jonathan Ferguson, lung cancer surgeon and clinical lead for the NHS Lung Cancer Screening programme, said: “Lung cancer is the largest cause of cancer deaths in Tees Valley for both men and women.
“I would encourage all who are offered an appointment to accept, and I’d also encourage all families to persuade relatives who receive an invitation to contact us.
“The letter you receive could be the most important letter that ever lands on your doorstep. It could be a letter that saves your life.
“I would also like to highlight this as a remarkable example of collaboration between the NHS and the independent sector.”
Jessica Ainsley, lung cancer nurse specialist, added: “The lung screening programme has completely changed the lives of many patients on Teesside. We have been given an opportunity to screen and diagnose lung cancers earlier, and for lots of people, that is giving them a second chance at life.
“The lung cancer nursing teams at James Cook hospital would encourage all invited to attend and are on hand to support patients navigate their diagnosis, treatment and living with cancer.”