Haslemere town centre to turn purple to highlight pancreatic cancer awareness

Over hundred shops and businesses in Haslemere, a Surrey town in the heart of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s constituency, will be turning purple from 16th to 24th November to support a local charity and help raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth deadliest cancer in the UK and has the lowest survival rate of any cancer. Only three per cent of those diagnosed will survive for more than five years. Pancreatic Cancer Action, a national charity based near Haslemere, is focussed on changing the survival numbers by raising awareness of the cancer and its symptoms.

The charity made a personal visit to each business to ask for their help in spreading the word during November, which is officially Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. During the week, many shop windows in Haslemere High Street and Wey Hill will be displaying purple bunting, balloons and posters.

“The positive response to our request for support was overwhelming,” says Ali Stunt, Founder of Pancreatic Cancer Action, who is a local Haslemere resident and a six-year survivor of pancreatic cancer. “The majority of business owners admitted to knowing little about the cancer and were shocked to hear about the low survival rate. Sadly, we spoke to a number of people with a personal connection to the disease who know all too well about the need for raising awareness.

“Local companies get a lot of requests from charities and we are so grateful that they are supporting our awareness drive.

“We urge people to spread the word about pancreatic cancer,” continues Ali. “We are committed to improving early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer by increasing awareness of the symptoms of the disease both amongst the public and the medical profession, all with the aim that more people have the same lucky outcome as I have.”

For more information on pancreatic cancer and awareness month, please visit www.pancreaticcanceraction.org or call 0303 040 1770.