Fit, healthy and symptom-free: Michele’s lung cancer shows why NZ needs screening now

Michele Priest spent years behind the scenes at Shortland Street, bringing shock diagnoses to the screen. Then she got one of her own.

Two years ago, Michele was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Michele, 65, visited her GP in October 2024 to investigate the cause of a pain in her neck, but after numerous tests revealed no concerns, she pushed for a chest X-ray.

That X-ray showed lung cancer. It was Stage 3.

At the time of my diagnosis, Michele was fit and healthy – running 5 kms, three times per week – and working full-time. She had no symptoms.

“I had no reason to suspect anything was amiss, so when I got the news, I was shocked and terrified – I just couldn’t believe it,” she says.

“I didn’t know whether I was going to live or die.”

Months of chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy followed.

In January this year, she had her last treatment. One month later, Michele was told there was “no active cancer”.

Late October, following a surveillance scan, doctors found new nodules on her lungs. It is too early to tell if her cancer has returned.

“I’m doing the best I can, but my life has changed.”

The biggest battle is in the mind, Michele says.

“People talk about ‘scan-xiety’ – it’s a real thing.

“The further I get from my last immunotherapy treatment, the more it’s about my body doing the work.”

Her husband and friends have been her anchor, driving her to appointments and checking in.

“Every morning my husband wakes up and says ‘I’m so happy to see you’,” she says.

Michele is an ex-smoker. She gave up about 18 years ago. She would have been eligible for the lung cancer screening programme at age 50, if it had been in place.

“We need screening so that people don't have to go through all this treatment and then have uncertainty,” Michele says.

“If we were able to catch the disease at an early stage, things would be done and dusted so much faster.”

Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says Michele’s story shows how easily lung cancer can be missed, and how much can hinge on a patient pushing for answers.

“Michele found her cancer because she advocated for herself and pushed for an X-ray.

“We don’t ask women to push for a mammogram. We invite them. Lung cancer should be no different.”

The Foundation is calling for a national lung cancer screening programme to be funded in the 2027 Budget.

The Government recently announced that a trial programme would begin in mid-2027 and run for four years.

“While we applaud Government for taking this first step, we don’t want to wait four years to find out what we already know – screening and early detection saves lives,” Ms Harding says.