I'm fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

On November 16th 2023 my mum was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer which had already spread to her liver.  Mum went from going out with dad most days, doing the housework and the gardening to being in constant pain and not being able to get up the stairs in a few short weeks. Her skin was bright yellow and she had very little energy or interest in eating. After having a stent fitted she was told she would start to feel better. She didn't and in December she developed an infection and was hospitalised for a week. She had physio whilst she was there and started to walk more with the aid of a frame. Due to being in hospital she was unable to attend her first oncology appointment, which was rearranged for a few days before Christmas. By this point mum couldn't walk much at all and needed a wheelchair. On December 21st she finally got to see the oncologist who told us that as it had spread any treatment would just make her worse. He gave her a few months. We were heartbroken. Christmas came and mum was able to sit up in the living room however she was so tired she was sleeping a lot of the time. Four days after Christmas we celebrated my 40th Birthday sitting around the hospital bed that had been delivered a few weeks before. This was the last time mum ate, she had a third of a party sausage roll. The St Davids nurses were visiting more often now and were great explaining things to us, they were fantastic.

Mum passed away on January 7th 2024, she was 70. I still can't make sense of those words. The last week of her life she spent a lot of time sleeping, when she was awake she was in pain, eventually having a syringe driver fitted as she was no longer able to take medication orally. During that last week, as a family, we made sure one of us was with her all the time.

In June I have decided to fundraise for Pancreatic Cancer UK, I will be walking 100 miles during this month. I saw this as a challenge because I don't go out much and I know it is something mum would be pleased about me doing.