I'm fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

On 20 September, I lost my cheeky, charming, often irreverent, always supportive uncle, Dave, just 35 days after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When he was given his diagnosis, the doctors gave him 6-12 months, a period of time that felt unfathomably short for someone who has been such a fundamental and well-loved part of our family. I’ll admit to not being particularly optimistic about that prognosis, but nothing could have prepared me for how much less time he would have than that. The 35 short days he had, and the rate at which his health declined in that month, is something I cannot get my head around. As a family we barely had time to process the diagnosis before Dave died.

I am still coming to terms with the fact that my uncle is gone. I am feeling all the emotions associated with grief in a disordered mess, and all I can think of is that I want to channel that into something that will help other families like mine, who are either themselves facing or trying to support a loved one receiving this diagnosis and feeling helpless.

As we move into November, and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month, I am challenging myself to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK which will be used to fund research which will enable earlier detection and better treatment options, and provide support for patients and their families facing this diagnosis and feeling all the emotions my family have been going through these past 2 months.

I am taking on "Challenge 24" - to run 24 miles in November in honour of the 24 people who die in the UK every day from pancreatic cancer. I am a very sporadic and fair weather runner, but I'm hoping that knowing that I'm doing this in honour of a much-loved uncle will motivate me to run in the cold, the wet, and the dark weather we have ahead of us this month. I know it'll be tough mentally to put my running shoes on when I'd rather stay indoors, but I also know that's nothing compared to what Dave was going through in the last month of his life.

Above all though, I want people to be better aware of the symptoms of this horrible disease and to speak to their doctor if they're at all worried. It can't bring my uncle back, but if it means other families are spared some of the heartbreak we have had to endure, I’ll take that.