Do you know where your pancreas is? I didn't...

Ever since I found the cyst in my pancreas by accident, I have been absolutely astounded at how silent and dangerous pancreatic cancer really is.

My surgeon once said that ‘it is a nasty aggressive cancer that unfortunately has an extremely high chance of death once it’s been diagnosed’.

Why is this? Well, mostly because people don’t know it’s there until it’s too late – silent. But also, because the pancreas is right smack-bang in the middle of your body – dangerous!

It’s deep in the abdomen and surrounded by the body’s major arteries and veins. And I thought recognising skin cancer was a problem…

The Pancare Foundation has a great diagram. Any wonder surgery is so complex and other areas of your body so easily compromised. By the time I had surgery, my cyst (which was in the body part of the pancreas) had doubled in size and latched itself on to the blood vessel going into my liver.

Cancer Australia and Cancer CouncilAustralia have information about pancreatic cancer symptoms, diagnosis, staging, causes and prevention but as you will see, the prognosis is not good.

That’s why I'm supporting Bedside to Bench. They are developing a Nurse Network Program for pancreatic cancer patients and their families to help them navigate this silent and dangerous disease.

We need to know more.

We need to change the way we think about health and medical research.

That’s what Bedside to Bench are doing. Watch their video... it's beautifully touching and you too will see why patient, clinicians and researchers working together, is critical to the success of health and medical research.

Thank you to those who have contributed. I really appreciate your support and hope that pancreatic cancer never touches your life or the lives of those you love.

Show your support by donating now.