Alex Ferguson says early detection of lung cancer can give you "extra time Then there was Ford Kiernan's voice nudging the over 50s to take the test for bowel cancer. Now, another famous Scottish face is joining in the fight against cancer. This time it's Sir Alex Ferguson and his message is straight-talking and simple - #getcheckedearly for lung cancer and give yourself extra time to spend with your loved ones. The former football manager is supporting the last phase of the Scottish Government's £30m Detect Cancer Early drive called "Lung cancer, it isn't what it used to be." Why he is supporting the campaign Sir Alex, or Fergie as he is more affectionately called by, knows the heartache that lung cancer can have as he lost his dad Alexander to the disease in 1979 and then his mum Elizabeth in 1986, both when they were in their sixties. He said: "I wanted to be involved in this campaign as I lost both my parents to lung cancer. I know the devastating impact cancer can have on families. But cancer's not what it used to be and there are now treatments that can save or extend your life. So rather than doing nothing about it, I urge anyone who is worried to get checked as early as they can. Find lung cancer early and you could get some extra time. Know the facts One of the aims of the this three year campaign is to make the signs of cancer become common knowledge and encourage people to act quickly upon spotting a symptom. So, with this in mind, we have pulled together some bite-sized facts in our infographic. Don't get scared, get checked The Detect Cancer Early campaign has pledged to increase the number of Scots diagnosed in the earliest stages of the disease by a quarter by 2015 and save more than 300 lives a year. The campaign has been split into three sections, focusing on breast, bowel and now lung cancer. The first advert featuring Elaine C Smith has received over 260,000 hits on YouTube to date, making it the Scottish Government's most watched video. The latest ad with a voiceover from Still Games" Ford Kiernan was the next stint of the campaign, this time focusing on bowel cancer and the importance of the over 50s taking a bowel screening test when prompted. This has had 3266 views online since February. Sir Alex Ferguson's advert - which aired on STV for the first time on Wednesday, November 6 - has had just over 800 hits in less than a day. But judging by the positive feedback his efforts have had already, it seems the public are listening to Fergie already. This article is in association with For more on lung cancer or TIPS on living with cancer, visit NHS inform.