Widow’s plea for funds to improve cancer chances
A woman who lost both her mother and husband to pancreatic cancer today told of her efforts raise money for research into the disease.
Marie Breame, of Lingwood, is also hoping to raise awareness of the cancer, which has a low survival rate.
In 1970, people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer had just a three per cent chance of surviving five years. Forty years later people who find out they have this rare, but deadly cancer are still faced with the same slim margin of survival.
Later this month, people across the country will be trying to raise awareness and money for research into cancer of the pancreas, and among them is Mrs Breame, 62.
Mrs Breame and her friend Elizabeth Cameron will be holding a fundraising coffee morning from 10am to midday on Wednesday, November 24, at the Old Rectory, in Norwich Road, Strumpshaw, as part of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Week, which runs from November 22 to 28. They will be raising money for Pancreatic Cancer UK, which says survival rates are still so low because of under resourcing and funding in research and treatment compared to other common cancers.
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Mrs Breame said: 'Because people don't survive long with pancreatic cancer, they are very limited in the clinical trials they can do. There's very little warning so most people are diagnosed too late and that makes it difficult.'
Mrs Breame's husband Roger had three lots of chemotherapy, but it made him so ill that the couple decided they wanted to put his quality of life first. He survived for a year and died on Friday, August 13 at the age of 68.
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Known as the silent killer, pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Mrs Breame said: 'Three per cent is a terrible statistic and there's no visible progress being made.'
Alex Ford, from the charity, said: 'Too many people die from pancreatic cancer because 90pc of people are diagnosed too late – help us change that.'
To get involved or find out more about purple day fundraising events visit www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk or call 0203 177 1686.
Do you have a health story for the Evening News? Call reporter Kim Briscoe on 01603 772419 or email kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk
