They found tumours on my lungs - I thought I was going to die
BBCWhen Mel McKechnie was first told she had cancer, she said she "suddenly went cold".
She said she had been a 40-a-day smoker of cigarettes when she was diagnosed with lung cancer following an invitation for screening.
The 63-year-old now backs NHS Cancer Awareness Bus Tour, which will visit communities across Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire offering free cancer advice, screening information, healthy lifestyle support and mini health checks.
McKechnie said: "I have a simple message - if you are invited for NHS cancer screening programme, do take up the offer. If cancer is caught early like mine, it can make a big difference. "
McKechnie recalls the day she got a text from the NHS inviting her to have a CT scan of her lungs in a mobile screening unit at a supermarket car park.
The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Lung Cancer Screening programme is offered to people aged 55 to 74 who have ever smoked.
Supplied"I knew straight away I wanted to know more about the state of my lungs," McKehnie said.
"I had smoked since about the age of 15. After nearly fifty years of smoking, I just needed to know what have cigarettes done my lungs.
"After the scan, I was told to attend Nottingham City Hospital where I met a consultant and Macmillan cancer nurse.
"I was told it was cancer and I suddenly went cold - my first question to the doctor was 'Am I going to die?'. He replied, 'Not if we can help it'."
McKehnie added: "It was a relief to be diagnosed early before the onset of any symptoms.
"I feel so lucky to have taken up the screening offer, got my cancer diagnosed early and treated."
In July, a tumour was removed from her left lung, with a similar operation likely to be performed on the right lung where a smaller tumour was detected.
"I have quit cigarettes and now use vapes," McKehnie said. "I am saving about £800 a month after quitting cigarettes. It means I can look to retire.
"I was literally working to pay for smoking."
Now McKehnie, who lives in Newton near Bingham, is backing an initiative led by the East Midlands Cancer Alliance, working with local councils and the NHS, to help improve cancer awareness and encourage earlier diagnosis.
A bus will tour Nottingham and Nottinghamshire offering information about screening programmes, common cancer symptoms and help to quit smoking.
Latest NHS figures for April 2026 reveal 61% of cancer in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are diagnosed early - that is at stage one or two - but the area remains some way short of the NHS target of 75%.
The bus tour starts at Strelley in Nottingham, where screening uptake is low and health inequalities remain a significant challenge.
No appointment is needed and information will be available in languages including English, Polish, Urdu, Arabic and Punjabi.
People can also receive a free mini health check which measures blood pressure and body mass index.
NHSThe Cancer Alliance's managing director, Victoria Millward, said: "Reducing health inequalities and diagnosing more cancers at an earlier stage are key priorities for us.
"We know that not everyone has equal access to health information. Taking cancer awareness directly into our local communities is so important. "
Councillor Helen Kalsi, executive member for Adult Social Care and Health at Nottingham City Council, said: "I am delighted to support the launch of the NHS Bus Tour, helping more people understand the signs and symptoms of cancer and the importance of early diagnosis.
"I encourage residents to visit the bus, ask questions and find out what support is available."
People can visit the NHS Cancer Bus which is open between 09:00 BST and 16:00.
- Monday at Asda, 40 Strelley Road, Nottingham, NG8 3AP
- Tuesday at Bulwell Riverside, 108 Coventry Road, Bulwell, Nottingham, NG6 8PS
- Wednesday at Tesco, Chesterfield Road, Mansfield, NG19 7TS
- Thursday, first stop between 09:00 and 12:00 at Victoria Retail Park, Memorial Avenue, Worksop, S80 2BJ and Stop 2, with a second stop between 13:00 and 16:00 at Manton Family Hub, Community Way, off Shrewsbury Road, Manton, S80 2TQ
- Friday at Asda, Radford Road, Hyson Green, Nottingham, NG7 5FP
- Monday 12 October Portland Square, Sutton in Ashfield, NG17 1AZ
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