A regional press reporter who shared the story of her dad’s death from lung cancer with readers as part of her paper’s stop smoking campaign has won an award.

Glasgow Evening Times journalist Sarah Swain was presented with the Lung Cancer Journalist of the Year Award by the Global Lung Cancer Coalition.

She was nominated for the award by the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation after leading the paper’s Clear the Air campaign, which outlined reasons to stop smoking and the support available.

As part of the campaign, Sarah told readers about her dad’s death from the disease when she was 17-years-old, as well as sharing the stories of lung cancer sufferers, health workers and former smokers.

Editor Tony Carlin said: “We are extremely proud of the successful pro-active role that our Clear the Air campaign, in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Lanarkshire, has played in persuading smokers to stub out cigarettes.

“Sarah has done a superb job in spearheading that campaign with moving, informative, powerful and persuasive articles. She is a very worthy winner of this prestigious health award.”

Added Sarah: “I was thrilled to be told I had won the award. Leading the campaign has been very important to me, as my dad died of lung cancer when I was 17.

“Readers may remember I shared my own story about this, as part of the campaign, and that had a big impact. I’d also like to thank the others – from lung cancer sufferers to those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as health workers and former smokers – who have shared their stories with the newspaper.

“It really has made a difference. I have been contacted by many readers who have been persuaded to take on the challenge of stubbing out their habit as a result of the campaign.”