A daughter is encouraging people to visit their GP if they suffer from symptoms such as a persistent cough after losing her dad to lung cancer.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: A healthy Keith Worman prior to his diagnosis of lung cancer. Picture: Amanda PedleyA healthy Keith Worman prior to his diagnosis of lung cancer. Picture: Amanda Pedley (Image: Archant)

Amanda Pedley, of Welwyn Garden City, has spoken out for Lung Cancer Awareness month this November after her dad Keith Worman died at the age of 54 from the disease.

Sadly, it is common that those with symptoms of lung cancer such as persistent coughing, breathlessness and weight loss do not visit their GP until it is too late.

Every year 35,000 people die from lung cancer and perhaps most upsetting is that 89 per cent of cases could have been preventable.

Amanda’s dad was unaware of his symptoms until a cancer awareness advert prompted him to visit his GP about “a strange cough”.

Keith was then diagnosed with cancer when a dark shadow was found on the lower part of his lung. He spent time in the QEII Hospital in WGC receiving chemotherapy and he also had radiotherapy at Addenbrook’s Hospital in Cambridge,

“It was so quick and the chemo made him really ill,” said Amanda.

At the time of his illness, Amanda was due to marry her partner Nicholas Pedley.

“Although frail and so skinny, I was so happy he was able to walk me down the aisle.”

The 54-year-old continued to receive treatment but unfortunately began to deteriorate when the cancer spread to the other lung, then his brain.

“I got to tell him I was pregnant and he saw the scans of my son. I’m just happy he got to see that,” she added.

As his health deteriorated, Keith stayed at Isabel Hospice, where he was surrounded by the love of his two children and his wife June.

Amanda is grateful for the palliative care provided by Marie Curie, who often transported her father to and from hospital appointments.

She also said the QEII Hospital provided “excellent” support for both her dad and her family.

On February 21 in 2010, Keith sadly lost his battle with lung cancer.

According to the NHS, smoking cigarettes is the biggest cause of lung cancer with the chance of development increasing depending on how often you smoke and the number of years.

In Keith’s case, he had stopped smoking 10 years before he died.

But it is not just smoking that can cause lung cancer, other factors such as pollution or certain work environments can contribute.