A 27-year-old man who was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer two days before the country went into lockdown, is backing a new campaign to tackle the fear of cancer.

James Chadwick was 26 when he contacted his GP surgery after noticing a lump on his neck.

Following a string of subsequent appointments and tests, James was diagnosed on Christmas Eve 2020 and a few days later, on New Year’s Eve, he was told that he would be starting chemotherapy the following month.

The 27-year-old Head of Marketing, who has since been given the all clear from cancer, is now urging anyone who feels that something is wrong to get checked out to put their mind at rest. Or, to get treatment that can maximise chances of a good outcome as was the case in James’s situation.

“Each day, I remain incredibly grateful that I responded well to treatment and that I am now cancer free,” said James.

“I think myself so lucky to have sought advice when I did, and I dread to think what could have happened both physically and mentally had I been gripped by fear for weeks and months, and not decided to contact my GP when I did.

“The timing of this, together with the excellent care of doctors and nurses, will forever leave me indebted to the NHS.

“So please, go and get checked out if you’re worried. Don’t ever feel like you’re hassling the doctor.

“Since I’ve spoken about my cancer battle, I’ve had friends, family, colleagues and even strangers tell me they’ve been checked out after initially putting it off because they were worried about what the results may have been.”

Speaking ahead of the launch, Vaughan Lewis, Medical Director at NHS England South East, said: “We don’t want anyone to sit in fear if they feel unwell or notice body changes as most people who do come forward and get tested for cancer find out they don’t have it. However, whatever the result, the NHS wants you to know that we are here for you and finding out sooner is always better.

“Here in the South East of England, we are going further and faster than ever before in our ambitions to catch more cancers at an earlier stage so that we can save more lives.

“From cancer symptom hotlines to rapid triage, NHS staff across the region are working hard to ensure that those who are coming forward for checks can be seen quickly, so that cancer can be caught at an earlier stage.”

The NHS Long Term Plan is committed to increasing the number of cancers detected at an early stage one or two from half to three quarters by 2028.

NHS staff have been checking record numbers of people for cancer. Latest figures show that the number of people getting checked for cancer increased by over half a million (512,110) in one year between December 2020 and December 2021.

The NHS campaign includes a new advert which will show a man who is worried about his symptoms carrying a jack-in-the-box around with him, which he winds up as he goes about his day. When he eventually gets checked and discovers he doesn’t have cancer, a consultant opens the jack-in-the-box to show it is empty.

The advert will feature across TV, radio and social media from tomorrow (29/2).

The launch comes as new research shows that nearly six in 10 people (56%) say a cancer diagnosis is their biggest health fear, above other illnesses including heart disease and Covid-19.

Almost two thirds (63%) of those surveyed said dying was their biggest cancer fear, with more than one in three (37%) worried about being a burden on family and friends and over another third (36%) worried about the impact of chemotherapy or other treatments.

While the majority of people knew catching cancer earlier makes it more treatable, over two fifths (42%) said they would ignore symptoms, wait to see if anything changed, look for answers online or speak to family and friends before seeing their GP.

NHS bosses and cancer charities are urging people not to delay “lifesaving” checks, highlighting nine in ten of those checked turn out not to have cancer but that it is better to know so that people can get treated early when chances of survival are highest.

NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said: “We know that the prospect of a cancer diagnosis can be daunting for people and that is exactly why we are launching this potentially lifesaving campaign – we want to allay people’s fear about cancer and encourage them to get checked without delay.

“We know that many people don’t want to burden or bother anyone with their health concerns, but we would always prefer to see you sooner with a cancer that is easier to treat, than later with one that isn’t.

“NHS staff have pulled out all the stops to ensure cancer was prioritised throughout the pandemic with over half a million people starting treatment over the last two years and record numbers of people now being referred for checks and tests.

“So, the NHS is here for you – don’t let cancer play on your mind – get checked without delay.”