The Christie Charity
Press release posted 12 March 2025
A retired soldier whose life-saving cancer surgery was almost cancelled partway through because of damage caused by being a lifelong smoker says it was the wake-up call he needed to quit.
Tony Jackson, age 63, from Weaverham in Cheshire, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in September last year and went under the knife to have it removed at The Christie on 10 December 2024.
"As I woke from the operation to remove the cancerous section of my kidney, the anaesthetist looked relieved to see me," said Tony. "That's when she told me the surgery was close to being aborted because of the amount of oxygen I needed. I was horrified knowing I had struggled to survive, and it was the wake-up call I needed to get serious about quitting smoking."
Tony's surgeon Steve Bromage said: "It is very rare that an operation is stopped mid-procedure. Thankfully, that's only happened to me a handful of times in thousands of procedures. If we had stopped before removing the cancer, then Tony would have been told to give up smoking before we rescheduled surgery.
"The operation involved the removal of part of Tony's kidney due to a suspected cancer. The anaesthetist became concerned that the ventilator was working harder than normal to give Tony enough oxygen. We paused the surgery briefly and considered ending it early, before removing the tumour. However, the ventilation situation improved sufficiently, and we felt able to proceed safely with Tony's surgery.
"Doing surgery with a smoker carries more risk. When we see a patient in a pre-operative clinic, we encourage smokers to give up before the operation, and we will delay the surgery if we don't think it can be done safely.
"Overall, the operation on Tony was a success, and he should make a good recovery with less than a 10% chance the cancer will return, although we will continue to monitor him for several years. Smoking is one of the major risk factors for kidney cancer."
The surgery was part of a trial using 3D virtual modelling to plan the surgery before going into the operating theatre. Surgeon Steve Bromage commented: "Tony's routine scans were turned into 3D virtual models of the tumour and anatomy around the surgical site using highly specialist software. It meant I could look at the tumour and supporting anatomy on a digital screen and manipulate it to devise the best surgery plan. For example, I could see where I needed to avoid blood vessels and other key structures."
Tony and his wife Karen have 4 grown-up children between them, and the thought of never seeing them again was devastating.
"I took up smoking when I joined the army in 1983," said Tony. "During basic training, it was common for the instructors to stop for a smoke. I quickly realised that if you were a non-smoker, you got sent to do extra jobs whilst everyone else had a break to smoke. Soon, I was heading down to the NAAFI to buy cigarettes so I could enjoy the same breaks the smokers had.
"Many veterans have shared the same story with me. When we were stationed in Germany, the cigarettes were so cheap because, at the NAAFI, they were duty-free and profit-free. Before I knew it, I was smoking 40 cigarettes per day. Even when I left the army, I was still smoking 20 or more a day until the day before my cancer surgery."
"I had tried giving up many times, with vapes, patches, inhalers, and even an expensive session of hypnotherapy, but nothing worked more than a few days. Perhaps I just enjoyed it too much, so became resigned to the fact that I would always be a smoker. Not even a bout of coughing at bedtime and in the morning was enough to stop me."
"Things started to change after I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in September 2024. I was in shock and couldn't even bring myself to read the cancer information book I had been given. When I finally read it a week later, I was shocked to read that smoking was a leading cause of kidney cancer.
"I'd always known that smoking could damage the heart and lungs, so as a veteran saw my kidney cancer as a self-inflicted injury.
"I was overwhelmed with guilt about what I was going to put my family through and about being a burden on the hard-working NHS.
"I told myself the damage was already done, and with my mother close to death, I buried my head in the sand and continued to smoke."
When Tony came to The Christie for his pre-operative appointment, he was asked if he wanted any help to give up smoking and shortly after, received a call from Charlotte in The Christie's health promotion team.
"Charlotte didn't judge me whatsoever," said Tony. "She was respectful and friendly and promised to support me. She arranged for the ward staff to change my patches after surgery, and her colleague Paula came to see me on the ward after my operation, and something just kicked in. Paula was also very supportive, and we talked about the benefits of being a non-smoker.
"As I headed home a few days later, I was worrying if I could quit smoking this time and if I could cope without cigarettes. Back at home, there was a curious parcel waiting for me. Opening it made me smile from ear to ear. It was a big box of patches from Charlotte and precisely what I needed to keep going. The psychological impact of this package was enormous, knowing that Charlotte and Paula at The Christie were rooting for me. I was determined not to let them down after all the Christie staff had worked so hard to get the cancer out.
"After just a week, I realised I wasn't coughing at bedtime or first thing in the morning and soon after, my sense of smell returned. My energy levels have increased, and I'm saving a fortune financially, although that was never my motivation. Most importantly, I'm loving life and feeling well. I am proud that I've stopped smoking and am looking after my body.
"On a night out with friends recently, my resolve as a non-smoker was put to the test for the first time. I was asked if I fancied going outside for a smoke. Normally, I would have three or four during a night out, but this time, I was able to say I don't smoke. I smiled as I couldn't believe what I had just said. The sense of elevation and empowerment was beyond words, although I was left sitting alone in the pub.
"I can't thank my smoking cessation champions, Charlotte and Paula, enough for the faith they put in me. Everyone at The Christie has worked tirelessly to look after me and get rid of my cancer. The nurses and doctors were second to none. The Christie has helped change my life in many ways. I've also learnt a valuable lesson about looking after myself and never taking life for granted.
Tony's mum very sadly died a few weeks before his cancer surgery. He had decided not to tell her about it. "I didn't want her worrying about me," said Tony. "But I know she would have been so pleased that I finally quit the habit. Ironically, my dad died at the age I am now from a heart attack, having smoked since he joined the armed forces.
During his time in the army as a non-commissioned officer, Tony reached the rank of Sergeant and spent most of his time as an instructor, training new recruits. Since leaving the army, Tony has worked in various managerial positions with local authorities and housing associations before finding his calling as a community payback supervisor with the Prison and Probation Service.
Tony loves travelling, and his favourite place is Elounda in Crete. He has a passion for 80s cars and music, and his ambition is to buy an MK III Ford Capri. He is a drummer in a military-style band and has always had a dog, currently a pint-sized Yorkshire terrier (Hero), although his most treasured dog was a border collie.
Smoking claims around 64,000 lives a year in England and causes one in four of all cancer deaths. It kills up to two-thirds of its long-term users.
The Department of Health and Social Care have a range of free quitting support available to help smokers quit. These include the free NHS Quit Smoking app, expert support from local Stop Smoking Services and a range of stop smoking aids. Visit nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking.
Any Christie patient can also ask their clinical team for a referral to the hospital’s stop smoking team. It’s never too late to quit smoking.