Raunds landmarks to turn purple for pancreatic cancer awareness

For one night only two Raunds landmarks will be turned purple to raise awareness of a cancer that claimed the life of one of the town's residents.

Tony Lewis died from pancreatic cancer in July, aged 79, and his widow Linda has arranged for St Peter's Church and Raunds Town Hall to take part in the Pancreatic Cancer Action's 'Turn It Purple' event.

On Thursday, November 19, the buildings will be bathed in purple light joining dozens of others across the country including London's Canary Wharf, Ely Cathedral, Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield and City Hall Cardiff to highlight Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

Linda said: "I wanted it to be for awareness. Pancreatic cancer is a very difficult cancer to diagnose.

"For many years he had tummy problems and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and that masked it and caused quite a few problems.

"Last year he was losing weight, lost his apetitite and started to complain of pains in his tummy and back.

"What happens quite often is it causes jaundice, but Tony didn't have that."

Father-of-two Tony was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on November 21 last year, less than six months later he died on July 14, 2020.

Linda and Tony, who would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in September, moved to Raunds in 1972 with Tony working for Johnson & Starley in Northampton as an area manager.

Linda, 76, said: "Pancreatic Cancer Action were a great support during Tony’s illness and I want to raise awareness and the lights will go on for one night at 4.30pm.

"On the third Thursday in November the world can turn purple in recognition of this awful cancer.

"We didn't feel that we had enough facts. I just want people to be aware of the symptoms."

Pancreatic cancer is a cancer that's found anywhere in the pancreas - an organ in the top part of your tummy.

It helps you digest your food and makes hormones, such as insulin.

The signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer include pain in the tummy or back, losing weight without meaning to, indigestion, jaundice, and changes to bowel habits.

Pancreatic cancer is the UK’s fifth cause of cancer death. Over 9,000  people die of the disease annually across the UK, often within weeks of  diagnosis.  

For more information about the Turn It Purple event go to Pancreatic Cancer Action's website by clicking hereordonate by clicking here.