November is Pancreatic Cancer awareness month. Purple Lights for Hope presents an opportunity to celebrate the lives of loved ones dealing with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and to remember those who have sadly died of the disease, whilst also spreading a message of hope. It has captured the imagination of patients, families, health professionals and campaigners since its launch last year when 60 landmarks and buildings lit up in the UK, including the Trafalgar Square fountains in London, the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, the Brighton Wheel and the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. This year the number is near to double that.
Image courtesy of Anita Jane Harris www.plasticflower.co.uk
Linda Reardon contacted Cardiff City Council for their help as they lit up for Pancreatic Cancer awareness last year. On 1st November, thanks to Geoff Cook and Stage Lighting, City Hall, Cardiff was bathed in a purple hue, and looked spectacular. The images can be seen all over Social media by searching #purplelights.
Friday 13th November was World Pancreatic Cancer Day. A chance for people right around the World to join and remember those lost, support those fighting and to raise awareness. To raise awareness, iconic buildings were bathed in purple light in support – from Niagara Falls to Sydney Opera House.
On Friday, Lynne Neagle, Assembly Member for Torfaen, and Linda Reardon, together with Linda’s Grandson Santino Palmieri, Andrew Forster (a Pancreatic Cancer patient) and his wife Elizabeth, stood on the steps of the Senedd from 4.30pm as it turned purple, raising awareness of the disease with passers by. Linda Reardon said, “I am so grateful to the Welsh Assembly Government for lighting up the Senedd in purple to mark World Pancreatic Cancer Day. The Senedd looked stunning and could be seen clearly from Penarth and surrounding areas. I am so glad that Anita Jane Harris was able to capture the pictures despite the weather being particularly bad with heavy rain.”
Pancreatic Cancer is the fifth biggest cancer killer in Wales, and is on the increase. It is projected that by 2020 it will be set to overtake breast cancer as the second biggest cancer killer in Wales. The survival rate is just 3.7%, and that figure has not changed in over forty years. Linda Reardon lost three members of her family to the disease in the space of five years. Her mother, Lynne Ball, passed just seven weeks from diagnosis. Linda runs two online support groups on Facebook – Team Wales for Pancreatic Cancer and Families in Support of Pancreatic Cancer. There is also a support group that meets on the fourth Friday of the month at St David’s Hospice, Newport, from 1.30pm to 3pm. If we are ever to see survival rates improve we really do need to make people aware of the symptoms.
Please go to www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk to find out more information.
Anita Jane Harris, Mandy Jones and Linda Reardon held a Charity Ball at the Celtic Manor on 7th November, Purple Butterfly Ball of Promise. Over £7,500 was raised.
If anyone would like to donate to help further, please go to www.justgiving.com/Butterflyballforpc or to donate £3 text PBBP72 to 70070.
If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact MrsLinda.Reardon@outlook.com
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