Rebekah Stubbs, 44, and Laura Smith, 36, are sharing the story of their parents, Susan and Richard Smith, who both died of pancreatic cancer, to highlight the need for greater awareness of the disease's symptoms. Susan died in February 2012 at age 55, just months after diagnosis, and Richard died in October 2023, also within months of diagnosis. According to Pancreatic Cancer UK, about 50% of people diagnosed die within three months.
The sisters noted that their parents were health-conscious, non-smokers, and rarely drank alcohol, yet both developed the disease. Susan's symptoms began in summer 2011 with a sensation of something stuck in her throat, excessive thirst, acid reflux, and general malaise. Despite multiple doctor visits, she was initially prescribed antacids, which did not help. Her condition worsened with digestive issues, difficulty eating, jaundice, and nausea, leading to an ultrasound and a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in October 2011.
Susan underwent surgery to insert stents in her bile ducts to relieve jaundice, followed by chemotherapy, which made her very ill. By Christmas, she could not keep food down and experienced severe pain and abdominal swelling. She died suddenly after a seizure in February 2012, while Richard was visiting a hospice. Laura recalled: 'It was quite a sudden death... she had a big seizure and passed away quite unexpectedly.'
After Susan's death, the sisters cared for their grandmother, who died in February 2022. Within a year, Richard developed right-sided back pain. Despite seeing a physiotherapist and his GP, the pain worsened. In July 2023, Laura took him to A&E, where blood tests and scans revealed a liver issue, later confirmed as pancreatic cancer via endoscopic biopsy. Richard died in October 2023.
Rebekah and Laura hope their parents' story encourages others to recognise symptoms and seek prompt medical attention. Laura said: 'They didn't have risk factors... They were both health-conscious people, but yet both then developed pancreatic cancer.'
