It was Sunday October 2nd 2022 when my family and I said a final goodbye to my beloved mother Deborah. She was only 62 years old and died just over a year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with metastes in her liver. 

Deborah was otherwise very fit and healthy, so began 12 gruelling sessions of chemotherapy which offered the hope of extending her life, but never a cure.

Deborah went through the rest of her life with great courage, despite her physical and mental suffering. I know I speak for all that knew mum, when I say she was so kind, loving and enthusiastic for all aspects of life. In this world she lit up any room she walked into with her beautiful smile.

Our lives will never be the same again, but we will strive to make her proud and honour her everyday that passes. 

Therefore I am proud to say myself and a large group are going to combine our efforts to fundraise for NIPANC by doing the Barcelona marathon on Sunday the 19th of March 2023.

Given that this falls on Mothers Day, it definitely felt like a sign, despite the training time being scarily short. Since signing up in the first week in November, 15 of my closest friends and family have bravely decided to join me.

I think I speak for us all when I say the training certainly hasn’t been easy, however we have all reminded ourselves of the pain and suffering she and many like her go through every day and it has kept us all going.

Pancreatic cancer continues to strike sadness and devastation into a growing number of families across the UK. So, we are aiming to raise as much money as possible to help give people a better chance of survival and also to raise awareness of this very deadly unspoken about cancer. 

I know mum would be looking down at us all right now with the biggest smile on her face and a glass of Prosecco in hand. 

Never above you, never below you, always beside you Debs ❤️

Information about Pancreatic Cancer:

- Pancreatic cancer research receives 5 times less government funding than other 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 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

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 by 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 N.I a year.