Pamela Deasy wants the public to know that 'there is hope' of surviving pancreatic cancer - and she is proof of that.
The Cork woman was diagnosed in 2018 and has been taking brave steps ever since coming out the other end, including heading back to college.
Pamela opened up to EVOKE about her journey as part of a campaign with Pancreatic Cancer Ireland marking World Pancreatic Cancer Day.
'Cancer took away from me, but it's also opened new doors and opportunities,' she said. Her battle with the illness led her to do something that she never thought she would... go to university.
'I am a third-year college student at UCC at the moment,' she said. 'I never in my life thought I'd be going back to college at this stage of life, but I am thoroughly enjoying it.'
Pamela is currently studying sociology and hopes to go on to earn a master's degree in health and society to aid her in her advocacy work.
She makes up part of the 14 percent of pancreatic cancer survivors still living, five years after beating it. 'I am really passionate about patient advocacy and speaking up on behalf of pancreatic cancer patients. I am carrying the voices of the 86 percent not here and I'm trying to have a better outcome and outlook for pancreatic cancer patients in Ireland in the future,' she explained.
Pancreatic Cancer Ireland aims to create and raise awareness among the public of the signs and symptoms of the illness. Out of the roughly 600 people who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the country each year, only 100 survive.
This is largely due to the cancer being so hard to identify, as many of the symptoms can appear similar to everyday ailments such as back pain and indigestion. It is important to visit your GP if you are experiencing symptoms, as the earlier it is caught the higher the chance of survival is.
Professor Grainne O’Kane, who specialises in pancreatic cancer malignancies, advises that if anyone experiences one or more of these symptoms for a prolonged period (more than three weeks) to consider seeking medical advice to ascertain the cause:
- Tummy pain or back pain
- Digestive problems: poor appetite, indigestion, nausea
- Noticeable change in bowel habits (light-coloured or floating stools)
- New diagnosis of diabetes or diabetes that’s getting harder to control
- Unexplained weight loss
- However, if someone notices jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) and/or itchiness, they should seek urgent medical attention.
Pamela was just 46 when she was diagnosed after a long period of trying to identify why she was feeling unwell.
'I hadn't been feeling well for a few months and I had been visiting my GP. I had blood drawn and they all came back clear,' she recalled. 'Because of my age, it seemed I was too young to have anything major wrong with me. But I knew there was something wrong.'
It took Pamela presenting with jaundice at the beginning of December in 2018 for a CT scan to discover that she had pancreatic cancer.
She recalled the shock of hearing the diagnosis for the first time. 'My initial feeling was that it was game over,' she admitted. 'That was the very first thing I said to myself because I knew nobody would survive pancreatic cancer. I think hearing the word cancer is a shock to the system, but when you add pancreatic in front of it, I was just like "Oh My God".'
She underwent Whipple surgery, which she credits as being 'life-saving.' Whipple surgery is also known as a pancreaticoduodenectomy and involves removing the head of the pancreas. The operation also involves removing the first part of the small intestine, the gallbladder, and the bile duct, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Pamela explained that keeping the 'hope' and a 'positive mindset' during her treatment was vitally important. She wants people to be aware of the signs and symptoms and to 'trust your gut' if you feel that something is not right.
She is part of Pancreatic Cancer Ireland's newly released video, which also features Ryan Tubridy, Maia Dunphy, and Marty Morrisey. The campaign hopes to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of the illness.
To find out more information, please click here. Check out Pancreatic Cancer Ireland's clip below:
