A Brockley café owner who doesn’t smoke has spoken about living with incurable lung cancer at such a young age.

Saima Thompson, 29, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in April and has described the "shame" and misconceptions associated with the disease.

The owner of Masala Wala Café said: "Lung cancer is the third most common cancer, but it seems no one is talking about it because there’s a real shame factor attached, and it’s so heavily associated with smoking.

"I’ve had a lot of people ask me if I’ve ever smoked. I dabbled with cigarettes in my early 20s but I’m only 29, and I’ve spoken to plenty of people who have never smoked who also live with it too."

Macmillan Cancer Support says one in 10 people who get lung cancer have never smoked.

Saima added: "Initially I found it quite difficult when people found out the news. Sometimes it felt like I’d almost died already – people would send messages saying ‘my thoughts are with you’, or wanted to send flowers.

"We need to demystify what a cancer diagnosis means – it can mean a long life, it can mean a shorter life, but it’s still a life worth living. Cancer is raceless and ageless. We’ve got to raise awareness and not be ashamed to talk about it."

She also explained how it was still a taboo subject in Asian culture and she admitted it was a struggle telling her family.

 

Saima was diagnosed one month after visiting her GP over a swollen gland and upper back pain.

When she was told the dreaded news she said she was in "absolute shock" and felt numb.

She said: "One minute I had all these aspirations and dreams of running multiple businesses and having my own cookbook. At that point it felt like our whole future was just in tatters and I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but thankfully we’re in a good place now."

The business owner, whose cafe suffered two break-ins this year, said the Macmillan support line had been a "godsend".

Saima explained: "It was amazing for advice about getting my benefits payments, and how to navigate my way around being self-employed with cancer.

"I gained a lot of weight through the steroids then lost a lot of weight due to anxiety, and I also received a Macmillan grant. It helped with the life adjustments I’ve had to make, like buying a new wardrobe and new bedding."

She said she is not fighting the disease and is instead living with it.

Saima documents her passion for food and her battle with cancer on her popular blog Curry and Cancer.