Well, it's to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK. Kate's father David Bowman died of this cruel disease ten years ago just a few weeks after his diagnosis. Known as the "silent killer" because it is so hard to diagnose, pancreatic cancer robbed David of his golden years, of a chance to retire, of a chance to know his eight grandchildren. Pancreatic cancer statistics make for difficult reading. 1
0,300 people will be diagnosed every year - that's 28 new cases every day - yet three quarters of patients diagnosed won’t live to see a year through. With a measly five per cent survival rate of ten years or more, too many victims of the disease leave us far too soon. Why?... because 8 in 10 people are diagnosed at a late stage, when the cancer is too advanced to treat. Research into pancreatic cancer has been underfunded for decades – it receives only three per cent of the UK cancer research budget. Yet for those affected about this horrible disease, you realise how important funding is for research into early diagnostic tools. We need to take control and start to win the battle against the silent killer... but that starts with funding. For those who knew David, our 4x4x48 challenge for pancreatic is in his memory. For those who didn’t know him, our efforts are in support of all those suffering against this silent killer right now in the hope that one day, together, we can break the silence. Thank you for reading and thank you for your support,
Love Catherine, Jo and Kate # # #
