Breaking language barriers: Expanding pancreatic cancer awareness in Gujarati communities

Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the UK, with only 7.3% of patients surviving five years after their diagnosis. But this alarming statistic can change.

Early diagnosis can increase survival rates by up to 30%, especially if the cancer is caught in time for life-saving surgery. However, early diagnosis relies on people recognising the signs and symptoms and knowing when to visit their GP.

Pancreatic cancer does not discriminate – it affects people regardless of where they live, their background, or the languages they speak.

Unfortunately, a significant lack of information is available for those whose first language isn’t English. This creates a barrier, leaving many at risk of being diagnosed too late simply because they weren’t aware of the warning signs.

At Pancreatic Cancer Action, we’re determined to change this. We’re committed to reaching out to underserved communities and making our resources more accessible.

We’ve taken a significant step by translating our most popular resources into several languages widely spoken in the UK. We are the first pancreatic cancer charity in the UK to do this, helping to break down language barriers and ensuring that everyone has the chance for an early diagnosis.

Did you know that Gujarati is the ninth most commonly spoken language in the UK, with around 189,000 speakers? This represents a crucial audience for raising awareness about pancreatic cancer and ultimately saving lives.

Our website data revealed a clear demand for more translated materials – English aside, Gujarati is the second most common language among our website visitors, just after Polish.

Since launching our Gujarati resources online at the end of June, we’ve seen thousands of downloads. Interestingly, most of these downloads have come from India, highlighting a global need for accessible pancreatic cancer information in Gujarati.

Those who speak Gujarati are predominantly Hindu so we plan to print and distribute 200 copies of this booklet to Hindu temples and multicultural centres across the UK! If you think your community would benefit from this resource, please email and let us know.

But we’re not stopping here. We’re committed to continuing our work to ensure that everyone has access to vital information about pancreatic cancer and its symptoms, no matter what language they speak.

We understand how important accuracy is in health information. That’s why we use professional medical translators instead of relying on AI, ensuring our materials are precise. However, this vital work is expensive, and we need your generous donations to continue.