A Rochdale mum-of-two and cervical cancer survivor has slammed a controversial pancreatic cancer awareness campaign branding it ‘sickening’.
Last week Pancreatic Cancer Action published ‘envy’ adverts showing terminal patients saying they wished they had cervical, testicular or breast cancer.
Becky Sherry a 39-year-old business analyst who endured a radical hysterectomy last year involving the removal of her womb, ovaries, cervix and half of the vagina, said that it was wrong to ‘play off’ cancers.
Becky told MM: “I received the trigger alert from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust via email which warned of the content so I was prepared, or at least I thought I was prepared for it.
“But when I got the Metro newspaper each day and searched through it to find the adverts I was actually sickened when I saw them – the first one I saw was ‘I wish I had breast cancer’.
“When I saw the ‘I wish I had cervical cancer’ advert I was very, very upset.”
“The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is very low, and the statistics haven’t changed in many years. I don’t know the answers, but what I do know is to play one cancer off against another is truly despicable and unforgivable.”
Founder of Pancreatic Cancer Action, and rare survivor of pancreatic cancer, Ali Stunt said that the main aim of the advert was to put the illness in the spotlight.
“The objective of our initial campaign, which has received worldwide attention, was to raise massive awareness of pancreatic cancer and the grim statistics, including the shockingly low 3% survival rate,” she explained.
“We are sorry if this campaign upsets anyone and our heart goes out to anyone affected by cancer. All types of cancer are horrific and the last thing I would wish on anyone.
“Our advert is not stating that someone wished they had cancer but rather they wish they could swap pancreatic cancer with a cancer that gives them a better chance of survival.
“We purposely selected cancers for our campaign that have a significantly better survival rate than pancreatic cancer.
“We have no doubt that the campaign is a hard-hitting one – the terrible outcome that people face if they are diagnosed too late means we have to shout really, really loud to raise awareness of this grim disease.”
Becky acknowledged that the campaign has raised awareness of Pancreatic Cancer Action, but argued that it was ill advised.
“The advert doesn’t clarify why the lady is stating why she wishes to have cervical cancer, it provides statistics but not in context,” she said.
“The lady in the poster has incurable pancreatic cancer – would she trade places with a lady with terminal breast or cervical cancer?
“These adverts are misguided and have managed to cause great upset to many ladies that I know.
“Wouldn’t the tag line ‘I wish I didn’t have pancreatic cancer’ followed by the shocking statistics and the symptoms of pancreatic cancer be a more affective and useful campaign?
“Somebody needs to be accountable for this and an apology would be greatly received.”
Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, Robert Music, said that charities should work together to try and beat all kinds of cancer.
He said: “Sadly a third of women diagnosed with cervical cancer will lose their lives each year. Cervical cancer can be an extremely invasive cancer which often requires equally invasive treatment.
“For those that survive, the long-term impact of treatment can significantly reduce quality of life as well as leave women infertile.
“We of course understand the devastating impact of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and much needs to be done to improve survival rates in this area.
“However being told you have cancer of any kind is equally devastating and we are very concerned that those who have gone through a diagnosis or who have lost a loved one to cervical cancer will find the Pancreatic Cancer Action advert shocking and deeply distressing – we should unite in beating all cancers.”
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