Press Contact: Adele Carter

07754 443 225/Adele@panact.org

Yorkshire Lights it Purple for Pancreatic Cancer

Landmarks, businesses and homeowners across Yorkshire played their part in raising awareness of pancreatic cancer last night.

Hull City Hall, Mary Murdoch Bridge in Hull, Leeds Town Hall and Civic Buildings, Wakefield Town Hall Clock Tower, Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield  and Bradford City Hall are just some of the locations in the region that lit up purple, the colour of the pancreatic cancer awareness ribbon for World Pancreatic Cancer Day and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

The landmarks that lit it purple did so as part of the Purple Lights UK campaign. The campaign invites individuals to light up a focal point, their home or a monument as a way to remember loved ones who have sadly died of the disease and celebrate those that have survived. For those unaware of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, it provides an opportunity to provide much needed awareness of the disease. It is supported by pancreatic cancer charities, Pancreatic Cancer Action, Pancreatic Cancer UK, and Planets Cancer Charity.

On seeing so many Yorkshire landmarks, schools, businesses and homeowners taking part, Founder & CEO of Pancreatic Cancer Action, Ali Stunt, said: "It's so good to see so many people raising awareness in this, the tenth pancreatic cancer awareness month. The Purple Lights initiative is a great way for those that have lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer, or survived it, to celebrate and raise awareness."

Pancreatic cancer is the UK's fifth bigger cancer killer, receiving only 3.1% of cancer research funding. Twenty-eight people are newly diagnosed with the disease each day, with almost half of all patients diagnosed as an emergency in A+E, when it is highly likely the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. For those that are diagnosed in time for surgery, their chances of surviving beyond five-years increase by up to 30%.

This year marked the 10thPancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and World Pancreatic Cancer Day. In 2011 when the awareness month started, the five-year survival rate was just 3%. Now in 2021, it has risen to 7.9%, highlighting that awareness works! For this year's Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day, the theme was "It's About Time, with people told "It's about time you get to know your pancreas better. For you. For your loved ones. It's about time you learned the risks and symptoms. It's about time you talked to your family about this disease. It's about time. On World Pancreatic Cancer Day 2021, take time, make a difference."

Although it may be too late to get a landmark to Light it Purple for 2021, it's not too early to start thinking about 2022. World Pancreatic Cancer Day will take place on Thursday, November 17 2022. Those looking to get a landmark to light it purple are advised to call the landmark or email them. You can find a letter/email template on the Purple Lights UK website.

Murdoch's Connection Hull

Meadow Hall Shopping Centre, taken by Gabrielle Fletcher

ENDS 

For more information on Purple Lights UK, see:https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/take-action/raise-awareness/pancreatic-cancer-awareness-month/purple-lights-uk/

To find out more about the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, see:https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/about-pancreatic-cancer/symptoms/

Notes to editor:  

• Ali Stunt of Pancreatic Cancer Action is available for interview, along with our media volunteers with lived experience of pancreatic cancer.
• During the height of the pandemic's first peak, urgent referrals for cancer were down by 75% across the UK, equating to an estimated 2,300 missed cancer diagnoses every week.
• Pancreatic cancer is the 5th biggest cause of cancer death in the UK, however, it is set to become the 4th, overtaking breast cancer by 2026 as other cancers' survival rates continue to improve. 
• Every day, 24 people will die of pancreatic cancer - that's more than the number who will die in road traffic accidents. 
• The survival rate beyond ten years is just 1%, even if treatment is an option. To give context, the ten-year survival rate for breast cancer is 76%, prostate cancer is 78%, and bowel cancer is 53%.

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