Iconic Scottish sites to turn purple for World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Famous Scottish landmarks are turning purple today to mark World Pancreatic Cancer Day.

The one-day campaign demands a focus on earlier detection to improve survival rates.

People around the world are uniting to ‘Demand Better’ for patients and survival. The annual one-day campaign is an initiative of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, which is comprised of more than 60 organisations from 27 countries on six continents, to raise awareness and inspire action.

Pancreatic Cancer Scotland are honoured to be part of this global movement and throughout Scotland various landmarks and buildings are lighting purple to show support as people around the world take action to highlight the need for greater awareness, funding and research for pancreatic cancer, and to Demand Better in the fight against the world’s toughest cancer.Landmarks & buildings turning purple in Scotland include:

• The Kelpies, Falkirk;

• Titan Crane, Clydebank; 

• Glasgow Cathedral;

• Marischal College, Aberdeen;

• His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen;

• Scottish Government Offices, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh;

• Scottish Government, St Andrews House, Edinburgh; 

• Stockbridge Church, Edinburgh;

• Royal Borders Tweed Bridge; 

• Queen Victoria Statue, National Art Galleries Edinburgh; 

• William Park Library, Kirkintilloch;

• Kirkintilloch Community Hub;

• Hamilton Town House;

• Dingwall Town Hall; 

• Abertay University, Dundee; 

• Moss Heights, Cardonald, Glasgow;

• John Muir House, Haddington.

Fiona Brown, development manager for Pancreatic Cancer Scotland, lost her mum to pancreatic cancer nearly 15 years ago.

Fiona, from Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, said: ‘The purple lights campaign is a great initiative supported by various charities – it gets people talking about why buildings are lit purple – which leads to them talking about pancreatic cancer.

‘By raising awareness and sharing the symptoms and risks of the disease and the need for earlier detection we can work towards improving the survival rates’. 

There is currently no screening test or early detection method for pancreatic cancer, and though research is being conducted in these areas, knowing the symptoms and risks remains the key to early diagnosis.

Research shows that patients diagnosed in time for surgery are more likely to live five years and beyond.Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate among all major cancers. 

In nearly every country, it’s the only major cancer with a single-digit five-year survival rate (2-9 per cent).

These stunning figures are not merely statistics, they represent family members, friends and colleagues on every corner of the globe.

Every day, more than 1000 people worldwide will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and an estimated 985 will die from the disease.In 2015, an estimated 367,000 cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed globally, and by 2020, an estimated 418,000 new cases will be diagnosed.There are around 800 new cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosis a year in Scotland and 719 deaths were recorded in 2016.Current statistics in Scotland show that only 17.4 per cent of those diagnosed will survive beyond 12-months and only 3.8 per cent will survive beyond 5 years. It is predicted that the number of new cases of pancreatic cancer in Scotland is expected to increase by 49.9 per cent by 2027.Pancreatic Cancer Scotland are committed to raising awareness, improving education, research and support for patients and families affected by cancer of the pancreas and associated tumours.