? (Picture: Victoria Snow)
These were the devastating words my dad, Tony, said to me after his final appointment with the oncologist in August 2023. I stood there, numb, struggling to find comforting words for the unimaginable truth: my dad was going to die.
Tony’s battle with pancreatic cancer began in May 2022, when a CT scan revealed stage four pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver. I will never forget the doctor’s words:
“I’m sorry, you have stage four pancreatic cancer, and it has spread to the liver.”
My dad, a hardworking 65-year-old and devoted family man, had no prior history of cancer in the family. He had always been active and full of life, balancing his career in aeroplane part manufacturing, later running his own shop, while being a hands-on dad and grandfather to 16 grandchildren.
In November 2021, Dad’s health began to change. Diagnosed with diabetes, he was prescribed Metformin and advised to adopt a healthier diet. However, his dramatic weight loss of 3.5 stone raised alarms. When he sought help for his persistent stomach pain and nausea, his GP initially attributed these symptoms to diabetes.
It wasn’t until a locum GP connected the dots that Dad was sent for an urgent CT scan, revealing the tumour in his pancreas and its spread to his liver. The diagnosis was T4 N1/2 M1 adenocarcinoma.
Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the UK, yet it is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths. Tragically, 80% of cases are diagnosed too late for curative treatments like surgery.
Despite the grim prognosis of six to 12 months, Dad remained hopeful, starting palliative chemotherapy in June 2022. My stepmum, Georgie, tirelessly researched clinical trials, but the disease had already spread too far.
By August 2023, Dad’s condition worsened. Blood clots in his pancreas, leg pain, jaundice, and the side effects of chemotherapy led the oncologist to recommend stopping treatment.
“The chemotherapy and medication seem to be doing more harm than good now,” the doctor gently explained.
It was then that Dad uttered the words that still haunt me: “I’m not going to make it, am I?”
Pancreatic cancer symptoms, such as jaundice, weight loss, stomach pain, and changes in bowel habits, are often subtle and overlooked. Early detection remains crucial in fighting this silent killer. For more information, visit the NHS website.
