'It would save so many lives': Cork woman calls for lung cancer screening programme

Gillian Ryan was diagnosed with lung cancer days after turning 40.

Thu, 18 Jun, 2026 - 14:02

Niamh Griffin

A lung cancer screening programme is urgently needed in Ireland, a Cork woman living with the devastating disease has said.

Gillian Ryan called on people to take part in the State screening service's call for suggestions on future development of programmes.

Previous open calls led to the addition of two rare diseases to the screening programme.

Ms Ryan was diagnosed with lung cancer days after turning 40.

As a non-smoker and active sportswoman, the mother of two was shocked.

“If there was a national screening programme people could avail of, it would save so many lives,” she said.

Breakthrough Cancer Research chief executive Orla Dolan; lung cancer survivor Samantha Vaughan; minister for health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill; and lung cancer survivor Gillian Ryan launch Ireland’s white ribbon for lung cancer at Leinster House. Picture: Maxwells

A pilot screening programme runs in Dublin, funded by the Irish Cancer Society.

TD calls for minister and HSE to 'get serious' about a total ban on smoking

Vaping likely to cause lung and oral cancer, Australian researchers find in new review of evidence

Ireland's national cancer programme ranked number one of 20 examined worldwide

“It’s great that pilot is there but at the same time it needs to be accessible and available to all,” Ms Ryan said.

“We screen bowels, we screen breast and we screen cervix.

Lung cancer kills more people than all of those combined and we still don’t screen lung cancer, it’s not a niche issue. In Ireland lung cancer is responsible for one in every five cancer deaths.

In her own case, she had no visible symptoms as is common with this disease. She said it was only “knowing there was something wrong in my own body” that led her to seek testing.

Ms Ryan also led out on calls for a white ribbon campaign to support research into lung cancer. This was launched last year by Breakthrough Cancer Research.

Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said: "NSAC’s 2026 Call for Submissions offers an important opportunity to help shape the future of screening in Ireland.”

Submissions can be made for free through the Department of Health website on a link titled Call for Submissions.