A husband has issued a stark warning after his wife dismissed what she thought was simple indigestion, only to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Jason Venkatasamy, 59, a graphic designer from London, recounted the health journey of his wife, Lucy Driver, who passed away in January 2026 at the age of 57.
Initial Breast Cancer Battle
Ms Driver was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 at age 36, just six weeks after noticing oozing on her left nipple. She underwent a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. Mr Venkatasamy described her recovery as pretty good, and she was in remission within a year. For the next 15 years, she had no significant medical issues aside from mild, intermittent indigestion.
Return of Symptoms
By March 2022, aged 54, her health declined. She developed an aversion to acidic foods, struggled during a hike for her birthday, and generally did not feel well. Mr Venkatasamy suspected pancreatitis, so she went to her GP for a blood test. The results prompted an urgent call to go to A&E immediately.
Still assuming it was not serious, Lucy went to the hospital the next morning while Jason went to work. He told PA Real Life: Lucy phoned and said, 'I have some news for you. It is pancreatic cancer.' She then passed me to the doctor. Once I got off the phone, I just burst into tears on the carriage. I knew we were going to have one hell of a battle on our hands.
Treatment and Recurrence
Lucy underwent chemotherapy from November 2022, which caused painful mouth ulcers and weight loss. Her tumour was removed in May 2023 during a 12-hour operation. The couple were relieved to hear it was successful, but further scans revealed a mass in her liver. She had radiotherapy and more chemotherapy. In March 2024, they were surprised to learn everything had cleared. However, by Christmas that year, indigestion symptoms returned, and a scan confirmed the cancer had spread to her liver again.
Lucy stopped treatment in September 2025 as her body could not tolerate more. She began palliative care and passed away on 3 January 2026. Mr Venkatasamy described her final moments: She was very active in her bed and could not get comfortable. I went to get water, and I think she waited for me to get back to the bedroom, and then that is when she passed away.
Fundraising Walk
To honour his wife, Mr Venkatasamy is undertaking a 34-day, 800-kilometre walk along Spain's Camino de Santiago this August to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action. He said: I really want to warn people that pancreatic cancer is pretty much a death sentence. But if you are lucky enough to notice the early symptoms of indigestion or jaundice and react to it straight away, then you have got a fighting chance.
