Andrew McAvoy FRCS was a husband, father of three, son, brother, consultant colorectal surgeon, and friend. He was so many things to so many people, and a huge loss to all when Andrew passed in November 2022 after 12 months battling pancreatic cancer.

To me he was Andy, pals since school days and my best man. Those who knew him will recognise a humble man who made time for everyone, always standing up for others and what he saw as right in the world.

He was also an avid runner and loved to keep fit, even throughout his cancer treatment, and I remember Andy’s encouragement when I was gifted my first pair of running shoes at the end of last year. A couch to 5k later, I’ve decided to run my first marathon in our home city of Belfast on 30 April 2023.

Given his profession, Andy knew better than most what he faced when he received the diagnosis in December 2021 and what I have learned since is how difficult it is to diagnose pancreatic cancer early, impacting survival outcomes. Please help me therefore to raise £100 per mile in support of NIPANC, a Northern Ireland based charity that’s working hard to improve early diagnosis and awareness of the disease, so more people can call themselves cancer survivors.

Information about Pancreatic Cancer:

• Pancreatic cancer research receives 5 times less government funding than many other cancer charities 

• 3 out of 5 patients could have had surgery to cure their pancreatic cancer but were diagnosed too late 

• Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest common cancer. Half of people diagnosed die within 3 - 6 months

• Pancreatic cancer survival rates have remained at less than 7% in the past 50 years, often due to the lack of detectable symptoms 

• Survival rates have improved enormously for most cancers, but sadly for pancreatic cancer, this is not the case

• Northern Ireland has one of the worst known 5-year pancreatic cancer survival rates in the world, ranking 32 out of 36 countries

Information about NIPANC:

NIPANC is the only Northern Ireland based charity working to improve the outcomes of pancreatic cancer by: 

• Increasing public understanding of this cancer 

• Promoting awareness of the cancer’s signs and symptoms to both medical professionals and members of the public 

• Funding vital research

• Supporting patients and their families

Pancreatic Cancer is the 5th biggest cancer killer with approximately 240 deaths in Northern Ireland each year.