What it’s suggested I say:

“I invite you to join me on a heartfelt journey this October as we step up against pancreatic cancer. Together, we can make a real difference in the fight against this relentless disease.”

What I’m actually saying:

Let’s face it, you don’t care if I walk 31 miles in a month. I mean, I will. But it doesn’t really make a difference to you if I walk 31 miles or sit on my bum and consume my bodyweight in Pringles and wine. (I can do both right??)

But walking daily, wherever I may be (hey, it’s conference season!) in a dashing purple Pancreatic Cancer UK t-shirt gives me the chance to both ‘raise awareness’ and barefaced ask you, if necessary guilt trip you, to please donate some pennies to Pancreatic Cancer UK, a poorly underfunded cancer charity for an under-researched cancer with limited treatment options. 

We all know about cancer, we have all been impacted in some way by cancer, you can’t ‘raise awareness’ about cancer in 2023. But Pancreatic Cancer specifically, now that’s a mean, sneaky SOAB and is the UK’s most deadly common cancer, with half of those diagnosed losing their life within 3 months of diagnosis. For many, it’s just days or weeks and for the ‘lucky’ group who make it past 3 months, it can be a living hell. And yet the vast majority of people don’t realise the true implications of the diagnosis and can’t name the symptoms. This particular brand of cancer DOES require awareness.

I wish I’d been more aware of it when my mum started to mention lower back pain and digestive issues back in autumn 2021. I wish I’d been more aware of it when she was fobbed off by her GP multiple times and prescribed yet more antacids, painkillers and reflux medications that had little to no impact, whilst she was in fact exhibiting classic symptoms of pancreatic cancer that a simple scan would have revealed. It just didn’t occur to me to insist on further investigations, I trusted the GP and I figured my mum would be ok once the right medication was identified. If I’d been more aware, she might have been diagnosed earlier and at least had the option of surgery, which in itself has no guarantees of success and comes with its own set of life changing side effects.

A scan for my mum was only ordered in February 2022, nearly 6 months after symptoms started, when I noticed with horror that in the daylight her face and eyes were tinged yellow. A trip to A&E and further tests revealed the jaundice was caused by an inoperable tumour on her pancreas which was obstructing her bile duct. I wish this was an exceptional situation, but this story of textbook symptoms being dismissed is sadly commonplace and being repeated in GP surgeries up and down the country on a daily basis. 

What it’s suggested I say:

“I've set a goal to walk 31 miles throughout the month, not just as a personal challenge, but as a way to honour the brave souls who've battled pancreatic cancer and to support those currently fighting.”

What I’m actually saying:

The above stands, but it’s wrong to call it a fight, that implies some sort of fairness or a willingness to participate. It is not a fight. It is an uphill marathon with no training. It is Battle Royale when you grabbed the wooden spoon and the other guy has a machine gun. It is an attack on your very being. The courage my mum and others manage to exhibit daily is nothing short of inspiring and devastating in equal measures. My mum is still here, still ‘fighting’ and still determined to not let her diagnosis define her. My heart aches for her and for our family. 

So let’s cut to the chase – I need your help. And your cash. By contributing to this fundraiser, you become an integral part of the mission. Your generosity can fund crucial research, early detection, and support for patients and families who need it most.

And finally, PLEASE make yourself aware of the early signs and symptoms, and don’t let yourself, or your loved ones, be sent away with anything less than an ultrasound referral, should these symptoms occur. Early detection is crucial against this devastating disease. 

If you know me, you know this sort of outpouring just isn’t me. I don’t post on social media much these days and I certainly don’t air the moments of my life that are less than picture perfect. But if there’s a chance this can make a difference to someone, some day, somewhere, somehow, I’m all in. 

With heartfelt gratitude,

Amy