Landmarks turn purple in battle to beat pancreatic cancer
ORMSKIRK Clock Tower and the Lightcube in Skelmersdale are shining purple to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.
West Lancashire Borough Council arranged for the structures to be lit up during November between dusk and dawn as part of Pancreatic Cancer Action’s ‘turn it purple’ campaign.
Pancreatic Cancer Action (PCA)aims to raise awareness and funds to fight pancreatic cancer and to drive for earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments.
Every day, 26 people will be newly-diagnosed with it.
The disease is the UK’s fifth deadliest cancer but is often misdiagnosed and patients see their GP 13 times on average before it is correctly identified.
This leads to sufferers being faced with a shockingly low 5% chance of survival and an average life expectancy of just three to six months. Correct early diagnosis increases the chance of survival tenfold, but according to Pancreatic Cancer UK 74% of people in the UK cannot name a single symptom of pancreatic cancer. If you or a member of your family have one or more of the following symptoms then you should seek medical advice: Mid-back pain. Upper abdominal pain. Pain on eating. Indigestion. New onset diabetes. Unexplained weight loss. Fatigue. Pale and smelly stools. Jaundice. Low mood or depression. Cllr Neil Furey, the Mayor of West Lancashire, said: “West Lancashire Borough Council is delighted to be taking part in turn it purple again this year.
“Ormskirk Clock Tower and the Lightcube in Sklelmersdale are two of our borough’s most distinctive landmarks and we hope lighting up these two structures will increase awareness of pancreatic cancer.”
To find out more about pancreatic cancer, visit www.pancreaticcancer action.org.
Ali Stunt, founder and chief executive of Pancreatic Cancer Action, is a rare survivor of the disease that kills 24 people a day.
She said: “Despite the grim statistics, many more people can survive pancreatic cancer but in order to do so they need to be diagnosed in time for surgery – currently the only potential for a cure.
“While no early detection method currently exists, raising awareness of the disease and its symptoms is key.
“We are so grateful to West Lancashire Borough Council for arranging to light up two of their iconic landmarks to raise vital awareness.”