Mel (she/her) is living with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer. She was diagnosed in 2020 at the age of 51. The mutation she has (EGFR) is increasingly common in women, particularly of Asian origin and in people without a history of smoking. Mel lives in East London with her partner and cancer co-pilot Sarah. She has 3 grown up children and a granddaughter.  She is a patient advocate for three lung cancer charities; writes about her experience on Substack and her Instagram account. Mel has given numerous talks and has visited the House of Commons and 10 Downing Street to advocate for lung cancer patients. She writes, ‘I may have stage 4 cancer but cancer does not have me. I plan on living for decades’. In September 2025, she and Sarah took part in a 37.5 mile cycling charity fundraiser, the Tour de 4.