I would not be where I am today without Rachel’s invaluable help
After a call with Rachel, one of our Pancreatic Cancer UK Support Line nurses, Fran, aged 70, was offered dramatically different, life changing, treatment options to those initially offered to her.
Fran was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January this year while undergoing a full hysterectomy. She’d not experienced any symptoms related to pancreatic cancer and it was only during that operation a mass was found in the tail of her pancreas.
Sadly, Fran was told she was inoperable but with the guidance of Rachel she sought a second opinion and has now had surgery called a distal pancreatectomy, in which the tail of the pancreas is removed. Only 1 in 10 people with pancreatic cancer will receive surgery, the only potential cure for the disease.
Finding support
“Following my hysterectomy, I was losing weight so was put on Creon. I was unable to get the dose right and was unable to get specialist NHS advice. I found the Pancreatic Cancer UK Support Line after a Google search. Rachel gave me dosage advice and support and within a month my weight had stabilised, and the malabsorption had stopped.
Most importantly for me was the advice I received from Rachel on getting a second opinion and the names of doctors I could approach. As a result, I have now undergone a distal pancreatectomy which was not available to me previously. I would not be where I am today in post op recovery without Rachel’s invaluable help.
“I have been a regular user of the Support Line getting advice on medications, chemotherapy, recovery post operation and vaccinations post spleen removal. All the advice has been invaluable and a lot more detailed and informative than I had received previously.
“I can’t recommend the service more highly. They have been brilliant.”
Our specialist nurses are here for you
Our specialist nurses can answer your questions, recommend practical steps and provide the emotional support you and your loved ones need, when you need it most. You can have a dedicated nurse who stays with you through everything and gets to know you and your situation.
From 4 minutes to 40 minutes, our nurses can talk and listen for as long as you need. After your call, they can provide personalised information by email or post, explaining the next steps and giving you confidence to move forward.