It’s always there but I refuse to let it ruin my mental health

David, a father of three, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in November 2019. He noticed that he was getting more breathless than usual. Here he tells us how thanks to a revolutionary trial part funded by Asthma + Lung UK is helping him live life to the full.

David, Asthma + Lung UK supporter
Published 5th September 2025

I noticed I was getting more breathless than usual so as soon as I got home, I went to see my doctor and was sent for an x-ray. The x-ray revealed I had fluid on my lungs. After further tests, I was diagnosed with mesothelioma a few days later.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that begins to grow in the inner lining of the chest or the outer lining of the lungs (pleura), heart, or stomach. The cancer cells multiply and they begin to form small lumps, called tumours. The tumours then spread and make it difficult for you to breathe.

I was stunned by my diagnosis

I had never heard of mesothelioma. My wife, Diane, and I were stunned by my diagnosis and I initially found it very hard to come to terms with. I made the decision to pack up work straightaway as the survival rate was between 14-18 months.

Thanks to research I'm living life to the full

But thanks to a revolutionary clinical trial, funded by Asthma + Lung UK and the Victor Dahdaleh Foundation which personalises mesothelioma treatments based on each patient’s tumour, I'm still living life to the full almost five years on from my diagnosis. I play golf most days, I've just returned from a holiday in France. I'm looking forward to the arrival of my third grandchild – a baby I never thought I’d live to see

I've been given time to enjoy with my family

I have been taking this new injection every three weeks, alongside a daily chemo tablet, since January 2021. It’s thanks to this that I am still here, bursting with energy, and I feel great. The treatment I have received has given me time I can really enjoy with my family. My story just shows the importance of medical research – and how it can give hope to people even after the most terrible diagnosis.

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