All You Need is Lungs Nominated for Award

Introducing All You Need is Lungs

Who we are

All You Need Is Lungs (AYNIL) is a collaborative UK campaign created by three charities – ALK Positive UK, EGFR Positive UK and the Ruth Strauss Foundation.

We came together because lung cancer is still the UK’s biggest cancer killer. It can affect anyone – at any age, with or without a smoking history – yet public understanding lags far behind. Misconceptions and stigma remain common, and people often don’t see themselves in awareness campaigns.

AYNIL set out to change that. The campaign is entirely run and managed by our small collaborative team. It is purely organic, built on strategy, storytelling, and volunteer voices.

The award-nominated work

The award entry focused on our 2024 campaign, built around first-person “micro stories.”

Volunteers shared short, personal glimpses of their lives – a photograph, a few words about what gave them strength, or reflections on balancing treatment with daily life. These were posted across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky in clear, human language.

It wasn’t about polished advertising. It was about showing real people in their own voices.

Impact from 2024:

• 788,000+ impressions across platforms
• 13,000+ engagements (likes, shares, saves, comments)
• Hundreds of reposts from partners and individuals worldwide
• Growth of our community, with new followers and stronger links to healthcare professionals and advocates

For a campaign run organically, these results showed the power of first-person storytelling when it’s done with care.

Social platforms

AYNIL is a collaborative campaign, so most of our content is shared on the social channels of our three partner charities – ALK Positive UK, EGFR Positive UK and the Ruth Strauss Foundation. This allows us to tap into their established communities while building a shared voice.

The exception is Bluesky, where we launched a dedicated AYNIL account at the end of 2024. At that time, Bluesky was growing rapidly due to external factors, and we saw the opportunity to create a standalone campaign presence. The AYNIL Bluesky channel has since grown into a hub where people with lung cancer, clinicians and researchers connect – giving the campaign its own voice alongside the partner charities.

Our dedicated campaign hub

Alongside social media, AYNIL has its own dedicated website: allyouneedislungs.org.uk. As the campaign has grown, so has this site – it’s becoming a living portfolio of first-person stories from people with oncogene-driven lung cancer.

By the end of 2025, the site will host over 50 stories, each one offering a unique perspective. This growing collection gives visibility to experiences often overlooked, and ensures the campaign isn’t just a moment on social media but a lasting resource for awareness, connection and understanding.

Why first-person stories matter

At the heart of AYNIL are the people who choose to share their voices. The campaign isn’t about speaking for them – it’s about working in close partnership to ensure their words are heard.

These micro stories resonate because they are human and immediate. One might capture the anxiety of waiting for scan results. Another might reflect on finding calm in exercise, or the support of an online group.

They are small, real moments – and that’s why they stand out online.

What it means to be a finalist

Being named a finalist at the UK Social Media Awards 2025 in the Best Charity/Not-for-Profit category is important recognition for us.

It shows that social media can do more than promote – it can connect, challenge stigma, and even save lives by raising awareness of symptoms.

For volunteers, it means their stories are being seen well beyond the lung cancer community. For the team, it’s proof that grassroots, purely organic campaigns can stand alongside major brands in the social media space.

Testimonials from the team

Debra Montague, Chair and Founder, ALK Positive UK:
“All You Need Is Lungs was born because people with lung cancer weren’t seeing themselves in campaigns. This recognition proves the importance of putting lived experience front and centre.”

Deepa Doshi, Head of Mission, Ruth Strauss Foundation:
“This finalist spot belongs to our volunteers. Their stories are the heart of the campaign, and this recognition honours them.”

Liz Baker, Trustee, EGFR Positive UK:
“AYNIL proves that authentic, volunteer-led storytelling can cut through the noise online. It shows that honesty and simplicity work.”

Meet the team

The campaign is delivered by a small, close-knit group spanning the three partner charities. We bring together lived experience and professional expertise in charity leadership, campaign delivery and digital communications:

• Debra Montague – Chair and Founder, ALK Positive UK
• Deepa Doshi – Head of Mission, Ruth Strauss Foundation
• Liz Baker – Trustee, EGFR Positive UK
• Natasha Loveridge – former Trustee, EGFR Positive UK
• Rebecca (Becs) Welsh – Charity Manager, ALK Positive UK
• Laura Jones – AYNIL Campaign Manager

What makes AYNIL distinctive is the partnership between our team and our volunteers – with first-person stories shaping every step.

Looking ahead

2025 is the campaign’s third year. AYNIL is evolving “from a moment into a movement.”

This year’s theme is self-care – asking people living with lung cancer how they support themselves emotionally, physically, and practically. Alongside it, our sister campaign See Through the Symptoms will run under the AYNIL umbrella, aimed at healthcare professionals and challenging misconceptions that delay diagnosis.

The foundation remains the same: short, first-person stories, shared with honesty and respect, in close partnership with volunteers.

Find out more

www.allyouneedislungs.org.uk
Bluesky: @allyouneedislungs.bsky.social