AN Army doctor from Colchester has become the face of a national campaign after discovering she has inoperable lung cancer.

Amanda Sands is a Lieutenant Colonel and GP in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

She has been diagnosed with inoperable, late-stage lung cancer.

Lt Col Sands, 50, is alerting younger women they could get lung cancer even if, like her, they have never smoked.

She was diagnosed in October 2017 with a type of lung cancer called ALK positive, which is identified by a specific genetic alteration.

The number of younger women diagnosed with ALK positive lung cancer is rising.

Amanda said: “You just don’t think you’re going to be a young, female non-smoker and get lung cancer.

“I haven’t come across many patients my age with lung cancer. It’s not something you think about.”

She is receiving a new type of medicine called targeted therapy.

This recognises the gene alteration and helps block the cancer from spreading.

She is now well enough to be back at work full-time.

A keen skier, she is aiming to take part in a 55km Nordic skiing marathon later this year.

However, she lives with the knowledge her lung cancer will, at some point, progress.

Amanda has become one of ten women chosen to lead a national campaign to raise awareness of the fact lung cancer can affect anyone, of any age.

The campaign, called #LIKEME, is run by the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

It is aimed at reaching two core groups - younger women and family doctors - as the traditional stereotype of lung cancer patients can get in the way.

Paula Chadwick, chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said Amanda’s story is sadly all too familiar.

She said: “There are dangerous misconceptions about this disease and they’re costing lives.

“Too many lung cancers go undetected until it’s too late.

“Too many families are being deprived of mothers, partners, sisters, daughters.

“It’s time for change. Time for GPs to recognise when a younger woman has a persistent cough, or breathlessness, lung cancer could be the cause.

“We urge doctors to see beyond the patient and recognise the symptoms.”

Lung cancer can be cured with surgery or radiotherapy if caught early enough thanks to breakthrough treatments such as immunotherapy or targeted therapy drugs.

Amanda added: “What we’re saying is it’s time to see past the stereotype and recognise even seemingly mild symptoms really could indicate lung cancer.

“For women under 50, it’s time to look at these faces and ask – are they #LIKEME?”

To find out more visit www.roycastle.org/likeme.