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Lee Rawlinson, 51, a passionate marathon runner and devoted father of two from Essex, never imagined a dull ache would change his life forever. Initially brushing off the discomfort in his lower abdomen as stress, Lee’s journey took a devastating turn when he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer—after months of waiting and uncertainty.
In January, Lee first felt the nagging pain but, despite visiting his GP and being referred to specialists, 21 agonizing weeks passed with no clear answers. Routine blood and urine tests showed nothing alarming, leaving Lee and his family in limbo.
By September, the pain became unbearable. “It was like a scaffolding pole slowly being pushed through me,” Lee recalls. A trip to the emergency room and a CT scan revealed the harsh truth: pancreatic cancer, already spread to his liver.
Faced with just months to live, Lee has shifted his focus to cherishing every moment with his wife Faye and their children, Darcey and Marley. “I’m sailing toward death and can’t stop it,” he says candidly, “but my greatest fear is leaving my family behind.”
Lee’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to our bodies and advocating for ourselves. He regrets not pushing harder for earlier testing and was shocked to uncover a family history of the disease, discovering his grandfather had also suffered from pancreatic cancer.
Despite his prognosis, Lee’s courage shines through. He recently took his children on a magical trip to Lapland and remains a fierce advocate for increased awareness and research. “Pancreatic cancer hasn’t seen progress in decades—that must change,” he urges.
His simple yet urgent message to all: “If something feels wrong, don’t ignore it. Get checked. It might save your life.”
