Volunteer Gail's story

Gail is one of our Lay Information Reviewer volunteers, and plays a key role in helping shape our health information, including our leaflets, booklets, webpages and information videos. This is vital to ensure the information we develop is inclusive and accessible to anyone reaching out for support, and puts people with pancreatic cancer at its heart.

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What motivated you to volunteer at Pancreatic Cancer UK?

I wanted to help.  I had no idea what the pancreas did until a very close friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Spring 2020.  She was in her mid-60s and always busy – never one for sitting still.  She loved yoga and walking.

She had been extremely tired and had increasing back pain for several months in late 2019.  Her GP and local hospital couldn’t find anything obvious and kept discharging her with stronger painkillers, but they weren’t helping.

She would ring me late at night in such distress and even noticed pills in the toilet – completely undigested! Once she was diagnosed, I did what everyone does these days and went straight online and the Pancreatic Cancer UK site popped up.  It was such an informative site and really helped me understand.

Who knew what the pancreas did, what can be done to help but most shocking of all – the lack of early detection.

What do you get out of volunteering with us?

Sadly, my friend died just 6 weeks after diagnosis, I knew I wanted to do something to help others.

I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to spelling mistakes so when I saw that you had volunteer reviewers I was delighted.

What has been your highlight to date?

I’m learning while I’m reviewing! If I can help one family better understand what’s happening to them or their loved one, then I’m happy!

I miss my friend every day and hope that one day early intervention will be the norm.

Well done, Gail, and thank you for all you do!

We’re aware there’ll be many of you who can relate to Gail’s personal experience of losing a loved one to pancreatic cancer. Please do reach out to our support services if you ever need it.