Around 50 people a year in the South Holland and the Deepings region are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to Cancer Alliance, and one in four people diagnosed with the disease won’t survive a month.
Today (Thursday) is Pancreatic Cancer Day, an event created to bring awareness to the quickest killing form of cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer UK specialist nurse, Diana Dobson, said: “Despite being the cancer with the worst outcomes, many people are unaware of the disease and the devastating impact it can have.
“An increased awareness of the symptoms, which include tummy and back pain, indigestion, itchy skin or yellow skin or eyes, unexplained weight loss and oily floating poo, could lead to more people being diagnosed at an earlier stage. The earlier people are diagnosed, the earlier they can be treated it may increase their chances of being eligible for life-saving surgery.”
Find more information about World Pancreatic Cancer Day at www.worldpancreaticcancerday.org or get support at the Pancreatic Cancer UK Support Line (Freephone 0808 801 0707).
