Stephen’s Brighton Marathon in memory of his Auntie Carole

Stephen Dell, from Chatham, is going to run the Brighton Marathon in memory of his Auntie Carole who he lost to pancreatic cancer in 2015.

Stephen says, “In 2015 Auntie Carole began feeling very uncomfortable when she ate and it was thought that she had gallstones. She tried avoiding certain foods thinking they would flare up her gallstones, to the point that she didn’t want to eat much.

She wasn’t getting anywhere so she paid for a private scan where she received her diagnosis. By this stage it had already reached her liver.

She was diagnosed almost three years to the day, it was Easter break 2015.

Sadly, just nine weeks later my lovely Auntie Carole lost her battle to the disease.”

Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s 5th biggest cancer killer. The survival rate is just 5% which is the lowest of any cancer.

“I wanted to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Action because I love how proactive the charity is and wanted to add to the great work that they do.”

Pancreatic Cancer Action is committed to working towards earlier diagnosis of the disease so that surgery, currently the only cure, is made available to the sufferer. The charity fund research into early diagnosis, provide medical education programmes, and launch awareness campaigns.

Ali Stunt, Founder of Pancreatic Cancer Action, said: “We are delighted that Stephen is running the Brighton Marathon for us. We wish him luck with his training and the day. I’m sure Carole would have been very proud.”

“We rely solely on donations from the public and thanks to people like Steve that we can continue our vital work. Please back him in his fundraising efforts so that we can continue research into early diagnosis and raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.”

You can sponsor Stephen here:

www.panact.org/StephenDell

About Pancreatic Cancer Action

Pancreatic Cancer Action is a charity based in the UK whose mission is to change pancreatic cancer survival number and focus on improving early detection statistics.  The charity’s approach is to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer to the public, the medical community and Government, provide education and training on pancreatic cancer to medical professionals and fund research specifically into improving early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Founded by Ali Stunt, who is herself a rare survivor of the disease. Pancreatic Cancer Action has the support of many leading clinicians and researchers in the pancreatic cancer arena along with others whose lives have been touched by pancreatic cancer in some way. 

Further information about pancreatic cancer

Notes to Editors

• Each year, almost 10,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK.
• Every day, 24 people will die of pancreatic cancer – that’s more than the number who will die in road traffic accidents.
• Only 5% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will survive for more than five years – this is because the because the cancer is very advanced when diagnosed.  Unlike other cancers, this figure has not changed significantly in over 40 years. 
• If patients are diagnosed at an early stage – it is possible for 30% (3 in 10) to still be alive five years after diagnosis.
• This is no early detection test for pancreatic cancer.
• The UK has one of the lowest survival rates for pancreatic cancer in the world.
• Half of patients are diagnosed after admission to A & E. 

References for above: https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/about-pancreatic-cancer/medical-professionals/stats-facts/facts-and-statistics/

Pancreatic cancer symptoms include

These six key symptoms to know:

-       Unexplained and significant weight loss

-       Abdominal pain or discomfort that can come and go, which tends to get worse

-       Indigestion that’s not responding to prescribed medication

-       Yellowing of the skin and/or eyes, dark urine or very itchy skin (jaundice)

-       Fatty and pale stools that are smelly and hard to flush

-       Mid-back pain

Ref: www.panact.org/symptoms

About Pancreatic Cancer Action

Pancreatic Cancer Action is a charity based in the UK whose mission is to change pancreatic cancer survival number and focus on improving early detection statistics. The charity's approach is to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer to the public, the medical community and Government, provide education and training on pancreatic cancer to medical professionals and fund research specifically into improving early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Founded by Ali Stunt, who is herself a rare survivor of the disease. Pancreatic Cancer Action has the support of many leading clinicians and researchers in the pancreatic cancer arena along with others whose lives have been touched by pancreatic cancer in some way. 

Further information about pancreatic cancer

Notes to Editors

• Each year, almost 10,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the UK.
• Every day, 24 people will die of pancreatic cancer - that's more than the number who will die in road traffic accidents.
• Only 5% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will survive for more than five years - this is because the because the cancer is very advanced when diagnosed. Unlike other cancers, this figure has not changed significantly in over 40 years. 
• If patients are diagnosed at an early stage - it is possible for 30% (3 in 10) to still be alive five years after diagnosis.
• This is no early detection test for pancreatic cancer.
• The UK has one of the lowest survival rates for pancreatic cancer in the world.
• Half of patients are diagnosed after admission to A & E. 

References for above: https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/about-pancreatic-cancer/medical-professionals/stats-facts/facts-and-statistics/

Pancreatic cancer symptoms include

These six key symptoms to know:

Ref: www.panact.org/symptoms