For Ian Lush, a CT scan means more than a diagnosis. It means more time with the people he loves.
Last Christmas, Ian Lush was carrying a life-changing secret.
At 53, Ian was a non-smoker who considered himself healthy. But a persistent cough that wouldn’t go away led him to his doctor’s office, where months of appointments, X-rays and blood work offered no answers.
Then came a CT scan.
It revealed what other tests had missed: a mass that looked like cancer. Further testing confirmed stage four cancer, which had spread to Ian’s spine, ribs, lymph nodes and brain. He was told to go home and get his affairs in order.
Ian carried that news through the holiday season, attending family gatherings and trying to protect the people he loved from the weight of what he was facing.
But his story didn’t end there.
A scan that changed everything
Further testing identified a treatment option: a pill that could help manage his cancer. The results were remarkable. Within two weeks of starting treatment, Ian was back outside shoveling his driveway. Six months later, another CT scan showed that the cancer in his brain and lymph nodes was no longer visible, while the tumour in his lung had shrunk from 10 centimetres to just two.
Ian’s cancer is not curable, and his future remains uncertain. But treatment is working, and he has more time to spend with his daughters.
Today, CT scans remain a critical part of his care. Every three months, Ian undergoes another scan to see how his cancer is responding to treatment and help guide decisions about what comes next.
For Ian, each scan represents something precious: the chance to keep living, making memories and experiencing the everyday moments that now mean so much.
More time for life’s little moments
He calls this chapter of his life Ian’s Big Adventure — a reminder that every little moment, every day, is an adventure worth embracing.
For Ian, the uncertainty of living with cancer makes these everyday moments more precious than ever. Every three months, another CT scan helps his medical team understand how his cancer is responding to treatment and guide decisions about what comes next.
“Every three months, my life comes down to one appointment. One machine. One CT scan that tells me whether I get more time with my daughters or not.
Every moment is now a gift. — Ian Lush, grateful patient
Ian’s story is a powerful reminder of the difference medical imaging can make in a patient’s life. From identifying a diagnosis to monitoring treatment, CT scans provide essential information that helps patients and their health care teams make important decisions about care.
A new CT scanner will help strengthen access to this essential technology for patients in Newfoundland and Labrador, supporting the care of people who depend on timely diagnostic imaging throughout their health care journeys.
For Ian, every scan brings important answers and the chance to look ahead to another Christmas with his daughters, another family dinner and more of the everyday moments he treasures.
His story reminds us that behind every scan is a person, a family and more moments worth holding on to.
Because every moment is a gift.
