Learndirect turn it purple to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer!
Learndirect, the Uk’s largest provider of skills, training and employment services will be turning it purple for Pancreatic Cancer Action in Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
All the offices in the North West will be wearing it purple with purple clothes on the 16th November, World Pancreatic Cancer Day to raise vital awareness and funds for the disease. The Centres to be involved are Wigan, Manchester and Preston.
A number of people at the company have been affected in some way by the disease, including Keiron Smith from the St Helens office, who has helped organise the event.
Keiron lost his dad, Eric Smith, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 60. Eric had pains in his back and stomach which is when a CT scan discovered a cancerous tumour in the tip of his pancreas.
Unfortunately, they could not operate because it had travelled to his bloodstream and there would be too much of a risk of infection.
Eric fought the cancer for 14 months, saw the birth of his granddaughter and got to spend 8 months with her before he sadly passed away in in June 2016.
Keiron says “I chose Pancreatic Cancer Action because I want to help give someone else and their families a chance to extend their time with their loved ones.”
“Hopefully one day we can beat this horrible illness. If I can do that and keep my dad’s memory alive in the process then that would be his job done.”
“A colleague has also recently lost her husband to Pancreatic Cancer and my Boss’ best friend is 46 is also fighting the disease.
“This is the perfect to raise awareness and funds and my company, Learndirect are fully behind it.”
Pancreatic cancer suffers from a chronic lack of awareness across the UK, highlighted by a recent survey by Pancreatic Cancer Action. Awareness in the North West is only 7%.
Turn It Purple is Pancreatic Cancer Action’s flagship awareness month campaign which takes place every November. It is a chance for families, friends, and communities to unite to show their support for those affected by pancreatic cancer. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease which will soon be the UK’s 4th biggest cancer killer and has the lowest survival rate of all common cancers – just 5%.
Pancreatic Cancer Action is committed to working towards earlier diagnosis of the disease so that surgery, currently the only cure, is made available to the sufferer. The charity fund research into early diagnosis, provide medical education programmes, and launch awareness campaigns.
Find out how you can get involved with Turn it Purple here!