Don't wait until you're Dying to Ask
Your symptoms are trying to tell you something. Don’t ignore them. Don’t dismiss them. Don’t wait until it’s too late to ask for help.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest common cancers. Too often, symptoms are vague, mistaken for everyday illnesses or dismissed as something less serious. By the time pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, it may already be too late for life-extending treatment. Every year, nearly 10,000 people in the UK lose their lives to pancreatic cancer the deadliest common cancer.
At Pancreatic Cancer Action, we believe everyone deserves the chance of an early diagnosis. That starts with knowing the signs, listening to your body and feeling confident enough to ask questions when something doesn’t feel right.
This Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re asking you to do one thing:
Don’t Wait Until You’re Dying to Ask.
Learn more about the Symptoms
Because asking could save your life.
Don't ignore the signs. Don't be afraid to ask.
Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to spot. Its symptoms can be subtle, come and go, or look like other common health problems.
You might put indigestion down to something you’ve eaten, explain away back pain or assume unexplained weight loss is nothing to worry about.But what if these symptoms are connected?
You know your body better than anyone. If you are worried, speak to your GP. Explain what you have noticed, how long it has been happening and whether anything has changed.
You are not wasting anyone’s time by asking questions about your health.
Don't wait until you're dying to ask.
Real people. Real stories. Why asking matters.
Behind every pancreatic cancer diagnosis is a person, a family and a story that deserves to be heard.
Throughout Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re sharing real experiences from people affected by pancreatic cancer. Their stories reveal the realities of symptoms that can be overlooked, the importance of speaking up and the difference that awareness, persistence and hope can make.
Real people. Real stories. Why asking matters.
Behind every pancreatic cancer diagnosis is a person, a family and a story that deserves to be heard.
Throughout Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re sharing real experiences from people affected by pancreatic cancer. Their stories reveal the realities of symptoms that can be overlooked, the importance of speaking up and the difference that awareness, persistence and hope can make.
Poppy Bruford's story
Poppy’s story of love, loss, and leaping for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. She shares how her dad and her husband, Rob Roots, both lost their lives to pancreatic cancer, and why she's determined to make a difference.
Read more
Martin Graham's Story
When Martin Graham, then 42, was told he had pancreatic cancer, he thought it was a death sentence. Over a decade later, he’s living proof that early detection and determination can save lives.
Read more
Denise Gradus' Story
Denise Gradus shares her dad Tony's story. A loving husband, dad and grandfather taken too soon by pancreatic cancer. Tony’s story is one of deep love, resilience, and the devastating speed with which pancreatic cancer can change everything.
Read more
Chris Smith's story
Chris has beaten four different types of cancer in the last six years. Her story is one of sheer determination to survive. It was her most recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, that hit the hardest. Known as one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early and with one of the least successful outcomes. Chris’s story highlights the importance of awareness, persistence, and hope.
Read moreHelp us get people talking about pancreatic cancer
If you’ve lost someone to pancreatic cancer, sharing our #DyingToAsk campaign this November can help more people recognise the symptoms and speak to their GP.
Follow Pancreatic Cancer Action on social media and share our posts. If you post your own, use #DyingToAsk and tag us.
Every share helps raise awareness. Early diagnosis saves lives.