A fit and healthy mother was told by doctors her stomach problems were due to food intolerances and irritable bowel syndrome, but it was the deadliest type of cancer.
Emma King from Maidstone was a regular at her running clubs and sports classes but in 2017 started experiencing persistent digestive issues and stomach problems.
The then 40-year-old sought help from her GP who told her the symptoms were likely due to relatively minor food intolerances.
Emma’s sister Hayley Penfold, 51, told The Sun: ‘She was back and forth to the doctors who told her to keep a food diary and put it down to multiple food intolerances, IBS symptoms, and wheat sensitivity.’
However, she was also losing weight — a classic sign of cancer.
Despite this, Ms Penfold said no one suggested that her sister should have a scan.
After battling symptoms for two years Emma was finally sent for a scan in August 2019.
This revealed the devastating cause of her problems — a mass on her pancreas which was confirmed to be cancer that had also already spread to her liver.
Emma King (left) from Maidstone was a regular at her running clubs and sports classes but in 2017 started experiencing persistent digestive issues and stomach problems
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease in part due to subtle symptoms that are harder to spot until the later, more difficult to treat, stages.
Only one in 20 patients diagnosed are expected to survive a decade after their diagnosis.
Emma promptly started chemotherapy and despite needing to be rushed to hospital with pneumonia that December she managed to make it home for Christmas.
Sadly, plans for a family trip with Emma, her husband Nick and their three children to Disneyland Paris and then Lapland UK both had to be cancelled as her condition worsened.
As 2020 drew to a close, Emma’s health declined further, with lumps appearing in her back in October and November.
Shortly after the chemotherapy and hormone injections that formed her cancer treatment started to be ineffective.
Then, on January 4, 2021, the family were given the devastating news Emma only had about a week to live.
She died on January 11 — a year and a half after her diagnosis — with her mother, stepfather and Nick by her side.
Hayley said she hoped sharing her sister’s story would help others recognise any potential signs of pancreatic cancer early.
Pancreatic cancer has been dubbed a ‘silent killer’ due to its subtle signs that are often only spotted too late
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the least survivable forms of the disease and worryingly its on the rise. Source for data: Cancer Research UK
‘Emma was a remarkable woman whose battle with pancreatic cancer touched countless lives,’ she said.
‘Before her diagnosis, Emma lived life to the fullest. She was known for her caring nature and dedication to helping others.’
Hayley also shared Emma’s experience as part of the ‘Give It Up for PanCan’ campaign.
Run through January this encourages participants give up a personal pleasure such as alcohol, chocolate, social media for month to both show support to those affected by pancreatic cancer but also raise funds for the charity Pancreatic Cancer Action.
Almost 11,000 cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed in Britain each year, with 9,500 deaths, equivalent to one Brits dying of the disease every hour.
The pancreas is a tadpole-shaped organ about 25cm in length located just behind the stomach, forming part of the digestive system.
It helps produce enzymes that help the body break down food into nutrients it needs.
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The organ also makes hormones responsible for controlling blood sugar levels in the body.
Potential symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, where the whites of the eyes and skin turn yellow, alongside itchy skin as well as darker urine and paler poo.
Other possible signs include loss of appetite, unintended weight loss, constipation or bloating.
While many of these symptoms are unlikely to be cancer it is important that they are checked out by a GP early just in case, especially if people have had them for over four weeks.
Last year experts warned of an alarming rise in pancreatic cancer cases among young women and more research needed to be dedicated to the disease.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .