No Time to Wait

People with pancreatic cancer have No Time To Wait. We're demanding better from governments across the UK

The NHS is facing a crisis. The pandemic, staff shortages and underfunding have pushed it to breaking point. Even before this, people with pancreatic cancer were being diagnosed too late to survive. It’s shocking that currently half of people die within three months of diagnosis.

Unless UK governments take urgent action, this is only going to get worse. There has been inaction around pancreatic cancer for too long, but together we can change this.

That’s why, during winter 2022, we launched the latest phase of our No Time to Wait campaign.

I’m one of the lucky ones. Because of my quick pancreatic cancer diagnosis, I was fortunate enough to get life-saving surgery. Most people don’t get this chance. As a nurse with over twenty years’ experience, I know this all too well.

Rebecca Buggs

Thank you to everyone who stood with us. Over 50,000 of us signed a petition calling on Governments across the UK must take immediate action and publish funded cancer plans to deliver faster diagnosis and treatment for people with pancreatic cancer who have no time to wait.

Everyone should be diagnosed within 21 days of referral
Everyone should be offered access to fast treatment
Everyone should immediately get support from a dedicated specialist cancer nurse

On 14 December we handed our petition in to UK Governments, and sent a clear message that we can not – and will not – wait any longer for action.

You can still support the campaign by asking your MP or MSP to stand with us.

Rebecca’s story

Here’s what we’ve achieved with your incredible support:

52,436 of us demanded that UK governments act now to deliver faster diagnosis and treatment
Over 1,800 of us wrote to our MP or MSP to ask them to support the campaign
Because of your invitations, 130 politicians joined our Parliamentary events.
300 of us shared our personal experiences of living with pancreatic cancer, which were then shared with politicians
As a result of the petition, Pancreatic Cancer UK secured meetings with with Cancer Ministers in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and urged them to listen to our concerns and take immediate action
Together we raised an incredible £51,000. Thank you so much. Your generosity could help to fund vital research and specialist nurses on our Support Line so no one has to face pancreatic cancer alone. You can still help with a gift.

We delivered our message to UK Parliaments

During Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, November 2022, we held events at Westminster and in Scottish Parliament to raise awareness of our No Time To Wait campaign. We spoke to over 130 MPs and MSPs and asked them to stand with us to demand urgent action on behalf of people living with pancreatic cancer during the NHS winter crisis and beyond.

Find out what happened

Raising our voices in UK parliament - Pancreatic cancer UK engaging with MPs

None of this would’ve been possible without you. You can still take action for the campaign by asking your MP or MSP to stand with us.

We’ll contact everyone who supported us as soon as we get a response to our petition. The NHS crisis is far from over. If governments across the UK refuse to act, we might need your help again in 2023.

No Time To Wait during the pandemic

During the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, some pancreatic cancer treatment was delayed by up to two months. Thanks to our incredible supporters, we made sure the voices of people affected by pancreatic cancer were heard by the NHS and UK Governments.