A WOMAN whose dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in A&E and was too late for life-saving surgery is urging others to push for an earlier diagnosis of the disease.
Lou Northway’s dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at just 70, in January 2024, and sadly died under 12 weeks later.
His symptoms started last December with frequent bouts of nausea and vomiting alongside reduced bowel movement.
Mr Northway's GP put these symptoms down to a progression of his Parkinson’s disease and suggested it was gastroparesis.
Weeks would go by, and nothing improved.
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Lou, from South Oxfordshire, pushed her dad to go back to the GP and he did multiple times, but each time they kept blaming it all on a progression of his Parkinson's.
'He was devastated that he wouldn't be here to see his grandchildren grow up' (Image: Panact.org)
At the end of January 2024, Lou’s dad had to ask her mum to call 999 and ask for an ambulance as he felt so terrible.
Finally, in January 2024 diagnostics which were performed in A&E revealed a pancreatic tumour with liver involvement.
Clinicians began the various staging scans but in the first oncology appointment at the start of February the doctors revealed it was stage 4 pancreatic cancer and due to the locations of the tumours surgery was not possible.
The only option would be palliative chemotherapy which would give him six to 12 months to live. Without treatment, he would live only three to six months at most.
Lou said: “Sadly, four weeks later, the day before Dad was due to start palliative chemo everything got much worse.
"He had really severe uncontrollable pain and nausea and was admitted for supportive care in hospital.
"It took a further week to get him to a point where both symptoms were ‘tolerable’. This was horrid to see.
"He never really was symptom free, and the oncologist recommended that chemotherapy was no longer a good idea as it was likely to make him feel even worse.
"After two long weeks in hospital, he was discharged home and received care from The Florence Nightingale at Home Buckinghamshire team alongside the district nurses.
"He wanted to be cared for at home and die at home."
She continued: "We had him home for just six weeks before he sadly died on Sunday April 28, 2024, aged 70, just under 12 weeks from initial diagnosis.
"He was so devastated that he wouldn’t be here to see his grandchildren grow up. That was the first thing he said out loud when the doctor told him about his prognosis.
(Image: Panact.org)
"I will never forget the look on his face.“
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Lou has joined Pancreatic Cancer Action in their mission to urge people to push for early diagnosis.
She said: “Earlier diagnostic imaging needs to be performed to screen for this cancer. This is the only way to improve people’s chances of having longer with their loved ones.
"Pancreatic cancer can have grumbling symptoms and often people just ignore them. I am so sad that his symptoms were dismissed time and time again especially since none of the prescribed treatments really worked.
"Losing my dad is devastating, but I am very disturbed and troubled by what I witnessed during his final two weeks. Despite the palliative interventions I do feel that my dad suffered.
"It was very traumatic for us, and I cannot begin to fathom what it was like for him.
"Thankfully his final few hours were peaceful.”
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