Fiona leads fight
Charity appointment for Cambuslang woman
A Cambuslang woman who lost her mum to pancreatic cancer has taken on a leading role in the fight against the disease in Scotland.
Fiona Brown, 36, has been named development manager at Pancreatic Cancer Scotland.
Her appointment comes just days before the 14th anniversary of the death of her mum Chrissie, who passed away on March 26, 2003, at the age of just 56.
Poignantly, this year the anniversary will fall on Mother’s Day.
Pancreatic cancer, often dubbed the “silent killer”, has one of the lowest survival rates of the major cancers, not only in Scotland but in the UK.
In Scotland, it is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in women and the fifth for men; only 3.8 per cent of those diagnosed will survive past five years.
Without improvements in diagnosis, pancreatic cancer is expected to become the second leading cause of cancer- related deaths by 2030.
Fiona, who quit her accountancy role at Strathclyde University to take the position at Pancreatic Cancer Scotland, is now looking forward to the challenge of taking the charity forward.
She said: “I am honoured to be given the opportunity to partner my business skills and experience with my passion for charity and changing the pancreatic cancer story, to support Pancreatic Cancer Scotland through its next period of significant growth.
“Having lost my mum to pancreatic cancer in 2003, and sadly losing a second family member to the disease in 2014 it is overwhelming what brings me to this cause.
“I have met so many people that have also been sadly affected by this cruel disease, but I have also met survivors and I want to share hope with people – I want to meet more survivors.
“I have a real passion to work with others that want to change the pancreatic cancer story. It’s time for the story and the statistics to change.”
Fiona has spent nearly a decade of volunteering at Marie Curie and is also a volunteer committee member at Pancreatic Cancer Scotland.
The former Cathkin High and West Coats Primary pupil last year led a media campaign for the charity, working with family friend Heather Suttie and the team at Media Scotland.
Her new role is part of a significant growth for Pancreatic Cancer Scotland, which was formed in 2010.
Up until now the charity had been mainly volunteer based but it is hoped the new staffing structure will support its development.
She will work alongside Mairi Handy who has become part-time development manager.
Ross Carter, one of Europe’s leading pancreatic cancer surgeons based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and a founding trustee of the charity said: “Pancreatic Cancer Scotland was formed as we wanted to do something more. We wanted to see changes in awareness, information, support and research. There are a growing number of people in Scotland who feel the same. And it feels like change is coming.”
To find out more about pancreatic cancer, the charity and how you can help raise awareness and funding, visit www. pancanscot.org and follow Pancreatic Cancer Scotland on Facebook.