CLUB GOING PURPLE IN HONOUR OF COACH PAUL
ARUGBY club is going purple in memory of a coach who died from pancreatic cancer. Paul Davies, right, – who loved rugby and played for many years for Tonna RFC, coaching teams later on – died on October 16, 2017, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just a few weeks earlier.
Now, all the teams in the club have switched their kit to purple – the colour associated with pancreatic cancer – to pay tribute to him.
Mr Davies’ wife Eiryl said he was 53 when he died, having worked in the steelworks in Port Talbot most of his life.
She said: “He was a family man and was a big part of the village. “He was such a gentleman.” Mrs Davies, of Tonna, Neath Port Talbot, said Mr Davies had been diagnosed with diabetes the previous year but had no other symptoms.
The 53-year-old said: “He deteriorated very quickly. He lost so much weight – he lost four stone within six weeks. He went from a healthy, active man to someone who wasn’t able to do anything.”
Mr Davies wasn’t able to have chemotherapy as it would have been too much for his body, added Mrs Davies. They later found out that diabetes can bring on pancreatic cancer, or be caused by pancreatic cancer.
She claimed they were never told about this correlation and that is why they are trying to raise awareness.
“Symptoms are so vague and they come in when it is so late,” the mum-of-two continued. “It is about raising awareness of the signs.
“The first symptoms Paul had were stomach ache, a change in bowel movement and tiredness.”
The teaching assistant added: “He was healthy and didn’t drink – he didn’t fit any category for being diabetic.
“They put him on insulin which I think masked all the symptoms.
“It was all very sudden. At first, he went for an ultrasound and it revealed a mass in his liver.
“An MRI scan show that he had pancreatic cancer.”
Mrs Davies, who had been married to Mr Davies for 33 years, added residents in the village were supportive, saying they have been “100 per cent behind us”.
“They have gone above and beyond – it has been amazing,” she said. “Paul was a well loved chap, he was so friendly and happy.
“He would go out of his way to help anybody.”
A family day was held at Tonna RFC yesterday in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK, while raising awareness of the illness.
The team’s new kit was also launched yesterday and all the teams – including the youth and juniors – will now be playing in purple, instead of red and white stripes, to remember Mr Davies.
A mini rugby tournament also took place, with Tonna Male Voice Choir performing on the day. People attending the fun day were encouraged to wear purple.
Last November, they turned the town purple in his memory.
Tonna councillor Leanne Jones said their aim was to raise awareness of “this silent killer” and funds for research.