Pancreatic Cancer UK states that seven in 10 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer receive no treatment, and existing options are often too intensive for patients to tolerate. Rebecca Bird, 43, from Felixstowe, lost both her parents to the disease and expressed fear for her own future due to the lack of treatment options.
Bird's mother, Beverley, was diagnosed in 2016 and underwent a clinical trial for an implanted device that successfully shrank her tumour, allowing for surgery. However, the cancer returned after two years, and she died aged 60 in 2021.
Later in 2021, Bird's father, Timothy, began experiencing symptoms similar to her mother's. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but after struggling to eat and vomiting, an ultrasound in January 2025 revealed a blockage. Timothy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told there was nothing that could be done, dying in April last year aged 65.
Pancreatic Cancer UK reports that about 10,800 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer annually, with approximately 9,600 deaths each year. There is currently no screening method for the disease.
Victoria Hurwood, head of philanthropy and partnerships at Pancreatic Cancer UK, attributed the lack of treatment options to the cancer being "overlooked and underfunded for so many years." A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care acknowledged the need for better care and stated they are piloting a targeted approach to identify those most at risk.