Cancer charities to benefit from widower’s golf event
A GOLFER whose wife died from pancreatic cancer is holding a charity event in her memory.
Norman Irwin lost his wife Elizabeth to the disease last August. She was 62.
He is hosting a tournament tomorrow at Bangor Golf Club to raise funds for two charities.
Over 250 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in Northern Ireland.
The majority of cases are detected too late for surgery, which offers the only possibility for a cure, and most die within a year.
Less than 5% of people with the disease will survive beyond five years in the UK.
Mr Irwin (64) said: “My wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015.
“She underwent a huge operation several weeks later to remove the head of her pancreas and surrounding structures.
“Upon recovery from surgery, she then completed six months of chemotherapy and went into remission.
“Unfortunately, this was shortlived and her cancer came back with a vengeance, requiring many more months of various chemotherapy treatments.”
Mr Irwin described the devastating impact that cancer had on his wife.
“Before her diagnosis Liz was the picture of health,” he added.
“She was physically fit, ate well, was a lifelong teetotaller and never smoked. Her diagnosis was a real shock to us all. Many of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are easy to miss or disregard.
“Elizabeth simply experienced an itch and a mild tummy upset prior to diagnosis. There needs to be more public awareness of this awful disease and its symptoms.”
All 52 golfers taking part in tomorrow’s tournament knew Elizabeth. Mr Irwin said the support he had received for the event is “incredible”.
It is raising funds for two pancreatic cancer organisations, Pancreatic Cancer UK and NIPanC.