'I got to see life goals ... other do not' Belfast cancer patient highlights importance of symptom awareness
Incidents rates of pancreatic cancer on the rise
Pancreatic cancer is on the rise in Northern Ireland …
Incident rates have increased by 17% over the last three years – and now accounts for more than 230 deaths here every year.
The statistics emerge on what is World Pancreatic Cancer Day.
Belfast man, George Weir, is currently battling the illness and is calling for greater awareness of the symptoms.
He was 45 when he was diagonsed - and had surgery to remove the cancer and has now undergone eight rounds of chemotherapy.
And he says he would not be here if it wasn't for the quick action of his doctor
He told Downtown & Cool FM: “I noticed that my skin was going a yellow shade, the whites of my eyes were turning yellow, I had a severe itch, my urine was dark and my bowel motions were very pale.
“Thanks to the treatment I have got, I got to watch my son pass his A levels – he’s now at University and my second son passed his A levels and he is now at Stranmillis.
“These are life goals that I got to see – other people do not get a chance to see that.”