Hello and thank you for visiting my fundraising page.
My father was diagnosed with two primary cancers in 2008. First in January, prostate cancer to which he was responding well to his treatment and then in August, pancreas cancer to which he lost his fight just six weeks later aged 60. If the cancer had been diagnosed earlier more could have been done to treat him.
Pancreas cancer is the fifth biggest cause of cancer death in both Europe and the United States and causes 7000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom, but most people have never heard of it. It is nicknamed the 'silent killer' because it is so difficult to diagnose and when it is, unfortunately as it was for my father, it is often too late to cure.
FIVE YEAR SURVIVAL RATES (2008 compared to 1968):
| | 1968 | 2008 |
| childhood leukaemia | 10% | 80% |
| breast cancer | 46% | 80% |
| pancreatic cancer | 3% | 3% |
The table shows vividly why Pancreas cancer needs more research, earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments to help more people survive this disease.
On May 17th 2009 I am ran in the Hereford Half Marathon in memory of my dad in order to raise as much money as possible for Pancreas Cancer UK. I the course was really hilly but I cam in in 1 hours 48 minutes and 10 seconds :)
Please sponsor me, no matter how little, it adds and will go towards this very worthy cause.
Even if a way of tracing this disease earlier were found, it would save many lives a year.
Many Thanks to you all
John Copley (Jnr).
PS. I would also like to thank the people who have donated off-line: My wonderful Mum Marian, Rodney Gallegher, Rhonda and Gary, Jay Shah, Kathy Beesley, Malcolm Bell, Sue Brooks, June Stoves, Rose Freeman, Dot Payne, Ann Jones, Christine Howells, Hazel Bassett, Elsie and Dennis Johns, Dee Simmons, Vi Wilcox, Betty Connick, Mrs Millan, Jan and Gordon, Brian Martin, Rod and Jean Bowden and Mark Sutcliffe. A big thank you to Kevin Connolly who has generously donated all of his charity savings built up over time to this charity, many thanks Kev!
Thank you also to my employer the Lloyds Banking Group who will be very generously donating £500 to this fund.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Pancreatic Cancer UK gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
