Debbie Wells (Pancreatic Cancer UK)

Debbie Wells, representing the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund, travelled from Surrey to explain the background to this most deadly but little understood cancer and the work of this Charity.

Each year around 9,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  It's the fifth most common cause of cancer death, causing five percent of all such cases each year.  In highlighting the symptoms, Debbie explained that pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, because it is unusually aggressive, symptoms are often vague and appear at a late stage, when surgery is no longer possible.  As a result, pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers – just 3% of those diagnosed survive for five years. It is also the only cancer that unlike most others has seen no improvement in this figure over the last 40 years.

Despite its high death rate and lack of improvement in chances of survival, pancreatic cancer historically attracted little research funding in comparison with many other cancers. Public donations specifically for pancreatic cancer in the past have been very limited, because this cancer rarely made the headlines.  There were no charities solely for pancreatic cancer and unless directly affected, few people were aware of the disease and the need for much more research. 

The Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund which was founded in 2004 as a voice for sufferers is now the national charity dedicated to heightening awareness of pancreatic cancer and supporting research to improve diagnosis and treatment. 

Having lost a young family member to this devastating cancer, Debbie was a particularly passionate and dedicated advocate of the work of this Charity which was especially nominated by  President David.

Mike Frost