Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Local Family BringsPurple Lights to [xxxx] as part of charity awareness campaign
The spotlight will be on [insert location] on 1st November2014, marking the start of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, when the sky will be illuminated with purple glow sticks.
[Insert your name] will be getting together withfamily and friends at/in [insert back garden, park etc..]as part of national charity Pancreatic Cancer UK’s Purple Lights for Hope( initiative whereby people across the UK will celebrate with those who have survived pancreatic cancer, as well as remember those who have lost their battle with the disease.
Purple Lights for Hope events provide an opportunity for friends and families to come together to share their stories and unite in their commitment to fight pancreatic cancer.
[insert your name] first became involved with Pancreatic Cancer UK following…. [insert details of personal experience and link to the charity].
Anyone interested in holding a Purple Lights for Hope event can either organise for a local landmark or venue to be illuminated purple, or hold a more personal and low key event in their back garden or local park and show their support by lighting the night sky with purple glow sticks.
[Insert you name]comments; “We are so pleased to be taking part in Purple Lights for Hope and to be highlightingsuch important messages about this often neglected disease.[insert reason for holding a Purple Lights for Hope event]. I really want this campaign to bring a feeling of hope to all those affected and to highlight how hard organisations such as Pancreatic Cancer UK are working to improve the outcome for patients.”
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all of the 21 most common cancers in the UK with only around 4% of people diagnosed surviving five years or more. This figure has hardly changed in 40 years. It is the 5th most common cause of all cancer deaths in the UK although it is predicted that by 2030 pancreatic cancer will overtake breast cancer as the 4th most common cancer killer.
Alex Ford, Chief Executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK says; “Purple Lights for Hope is a very effective yet poignant way of raising awareness on a local level as well as allowing those who may have been affected by this disease to come together on the first night of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month to gain both comfort and encouragement from each other.
“On behalf of everyone at Pancreatic Cancer UK I would like to say a huge thank you to all those involved in Purple Lights for Hope.”
On 1st November supporters will be uploading photos and updates from across the UK on the charity’s social media platformsusing the hashtag #purplelights:
Facebook(
Twitter(
ENDS
For more information on pancreatic cancer or Pancreatic Cancer UK, please contact:
Louise Ellis
Communications Manager
Pancreatic Cancer UK
Direct line: 020 7820 6709
Mobile: 07584 293 039
Note to editors:
Pancreatic Cancer UK is the only national charity fighting pancreatic cancer on all fronts: support, information, campaigning and research. We are striving for a long and good life for everyone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
- We provide an expert, personalised support and information service, with the ultimate aim of enabling patients to enjoy an extended, happy and fulfilled life, bringing hope to them and their families.
- We fund innovative research that makes the most impact with limited resources and leverages additional investment - and development of new talent - through our own research expenditure.
- Working closely with patients and their families and carers, clinicians and other healthcare professionals, researchers, politicians and policy makers we seek to increase awareness of the disease and campaign to bring about change.