Clara & Jim
Clara’s dad, Jim, was a folk singer and a volunteer in a hospice for people with cancer. In 2020 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and sadly died in the hospice two years later. Clara tells us about her dad’s experience.
My dad Jim was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on the 29th of April 2020.
The cancer had appeared quickly
My Dad was one of the lucky ones that got picked up by his GP. He noticed from a blood test that Dad’s liver function was elevated and referred him to a specialist in older people’s health, who subsequently admitted him to hospital for investigation.
His pancreas had been scanned just three months earlier, in December 2019, but no mass was detected at that time. It was only on the scan in March 2020 that the tumour was evident and blocking the bile duct. It just shows how aggressive pancreatic cancer is.
Dad’s pancreatic cancer was borderline resectable
He was initially not a candidate for surgery as the tumour had spread to a nearby vein. However, he bravely went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy over the next eight months and the treatment was successful in reducing the size of the tumour.
In early January 2021 he had the Whipple procedure and the prospect of a full recovery was hopeful. The test results after the operation were so positive the surgeon gave him another 10 years.
Recovering from surgery was tough, but he was enjoying life again
Dad found the adjustment after surgery extremely tough. After a few months he began to regain his zest for life and returned to activities he enjoyed, such as walks in nature, meeting friends, playing his guitar and attending my son’s football matches.
Jim lived life to the full
Sadly, the cancer returned
However, a routine scan in October 2021 revealed a recurrence of his cancer near the liver area. This time, he could not be offered treatment to try to cure it.
He spent five months in hospital and, despite many complications, worked hard to maintain a positive outlook.
He passed away peacefully at our local hospice on the 8th of March 2022.
Remembering Dad’s empathy and talent
Dad had previously been a volunteer at the same hospice and recorded a song about a lady he met there. The song was written by his friend Celia, and he composed the music. His performance of this song was recorded in 2014, but was only released more widely a few days after his passing. It really shows the empathy and compassion he had for people going through their cancer journey. If you’d like to hear my Dad sing, with his friends Amy and Steve, you can watch and listen to the video recording here.
Clara
June 2024
