18:00, 25 November 2021
Words by Smiley Team, Staff Writer, London
Throughout November, people have been lighting up their homes or landmarks with purple to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, and support the global awareness initiative, World Pancreatic Cancer Day.
This year, World Pancreatic Cancer Day took place on 18th November 2021 - but as November comes to a close, it's important to know that awareness-raising is crucial all year around.
In fact, you can still get involved by lighting up your home or contacting a prominent landmark in your local area to light up purple throughout the remainder of November - or if not, just wearing purple yourself. By doing so, you’ll be helping to put a spotlight on a disease that deserves more attention.
Shockingly, less than 7% people with pancreatic cancer survive beyond five years in the UK. Research into pancreatic cancer has been underfunded for decades, meaning survival rates have barely changed in the past 40 years.
(Read more about how this family raised £39k to start new cancer cures)
The act of lighting up your home or focal point in a village, town or city has been a way to raise awareness, to remember loved ones who have sadly died of pancreatic cancer and to acknowledge those living with or beyond the disease. The idea has been to raise awareness that it’s "about time" the disease gets the attention it deserves.
During the month, the #ItsAboutTime social media hashtag has been used to raise awareness of the pancreatic cancer symptoms.
(Read more about how this charity is getting men with cancer to open up)
According to Pancreatic Cancer UK, due to the pandemic, a third of people are waiting more time than usual to seek help from their GP.
By knowing the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, there's a better chance you or someone close to you will be diagnosed early enough for treatment.
Pancreatic cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms in the early stages. As the cancer grows, it may start to cause symptoms. The symptoms may not be specific to pancreatic cancer, and they may come and go to begin with. This can make pancreatic cancer hard to diagnose.
If you have persistent stomach pain, mid-back pain, jaundice, indigestion, a change in bowel habits or unexplained weight loss for a number of weeks, it’s worth visiting your GP, as these could be symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
There are also some less common symptoms of pancreatic cancer. These include having a fever and shivering, and generally feeling unwell or not quite right. Some people also feel like they can’t swallow their food properly, which can be because pancreatic cancer can make you feel full quickly when you are eating.
To find out more about how to raise awareness of pancreatic cancere, head to the Purple Lights website. Or to donate to fund desperately needed research, visit Pancreatic Cancer UK.
