Morpeth pancreatic cancer survivor’s first sign of illness was a ‘stitch’ – but quick-thinking GP helped save him

A Morpeth man noticed a “stitch like pain” in his stomach in February last year – and it turned out to be the first sign of pancreatic cancer.

Michael Parry, 60, has successfully undergone surgery and twelve rounds of chemotherapy, but for many the disease is lethal – it has a survival rate over five years of less than 7%. Often, due to late diagnosis, people with pancreatic cancer can die within weeks of finding out they have the disease.

Michael, who enjoys walking in Northumberland, is now backing a charity campaign called “Demand Survival Now” being run by the Pancreatic Cancer UK charity. He is calling for political parties to commit to providing at £35m a year for pancreatic cancer research in their election manifestos. Heartbreakingly, more than half of people diagnosed with the illness die within three months.

Michael said family and friends had played a key role in his survival. He said: “I fully believe the group of people I had surrounding me throughout my journey helped to save my life with their proactiveness and positivity. I was incredibly lucky to have such an attentive GP in the first instance, so that an early diagnosis was possible.

“However, there are people out there not as fortunate as me. It makes me so angry that survival for pancreatic cancer hasn’t improved in decades. It’s so terrifying when you are diagnosed, to be told you have the cancer with the highest mortality rate in the UK. How is survival still so bad in this country?

“People in charge seem more worried about their friends’ bank accounts than investing in research for this disease or doing more to educate GPs on the symptoms. They must do more. Positive early intervention makes all the difference.”

The charity, in addition to boosting funding cash, wants decision-makers to commit to “treating pancreatic cancer as an emergency” and ensuring people are diagnosed within 21 days of referral, while it is also saying that the number of people receiving surgery – which as it stands is the only possible cure – must double.

Projections suggest that by 2027, pancreatic cancer will kill more people each year in the UK than breast cancer, and be the fourth most prevalent cancer killer in the country. The charity said this is down to “50 years of unacceptably slow progress”

The charity highlighted how symptoms of pancreatic cancer like indigestion, weight loss, back or stomach pain are common to less serious conditions and often overlooked. It said that the need “for multiple tests and slow processes” could often mean diagnosis came too late.

Diana Jupp, chief executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: “Generations of politicians, from all political parties, have failed people with pancreatic cancer and their loved ones. This devastating disease has been neglected and underfunded for decades, and without urgent action, it will soon kill more people each year than breast cancer.

“Change is possible, we’ve seen this from other European countries who have access to the same diagnostic tools and treatments as we do but deliver better outcomes for patients. However, the UK is being left behind.”

She said that whoever wins the coming election should turn the UK into a “global leader” when it comes to pancreatic cancer.

Last week, health secretary Victoria Atkins said: “I want to make our healthcare system faster, simpler and fairer, and achieve our goal of catching 75% of all cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.

“Last year, NHS England carried out a record number of cancer tests, and we are investing £2.3 billion in our new network of local community diagnostic centres, while our forthcoming Major Conditions Strategy will further improve cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.”

Michael is one of the first people to sign a new open letter organised by Pancreatic Cancer UK urging whoever becomes the next Prime Minister to take action and save thousands of lives. To add your name visit: https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/general-election/