A WOMAN who five years ago was told she might have only 12 weeks to live is preparing to run the London Marathon this year.
Bryony Thomas, 46, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2019.
She was told her tumour might be inoperable but doctors at the Bristol Royal Infirmary quickly decided surgery was Bryony’s best chance of surviving more than a few more months.
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust consultant Meg Finch-Jones performed the complicated surgery.
Bryony, who lived in Bishopston at the time but has since moved to Stroud with husband Tom and daughter Eleni, said: “I simply would not be alive without the work of the team. Only seven per cent of people with my diagnosis make it this far and I am so grateful.
“Even when I was having chemotherapy in the Dental Hospital, during the coronavirus pandemic, care was amazing, and I can’t fault the treatment I’ve had.”
Bryony is in training to run the London Marathon in aid of charity Pancreatic Cancer UK to celebrate being cancer free for five years. She is also keen to raise awareness of the symptom of pancreatic cancer to help others spot it earlier.
Bryony said: “I went to see GPs on and off for years before my diagnosis and I was tested for so many different things. I was asked about my “bowel movements” but no one ever asked me if my poo was pale or floating. If they had I would have told them that it was. I later learned that this can be a sign of pancreatic insufficiency.”
It was when Bryony noticed her urine had turned fluorescent yellow one day and a deep brown the next, that she called 111 and was sent to a local hospital’s Emergency Department.
Following her operation at the BRI in January 2020 Bryony had chemotherapy, led by consultant oncologist Stephen Falk, and now needs lifelong medication to replace enzymes which would usually be made by her pancreas.
Bryony, who runs a marketing agency, believes people need to feel confident discussing symptoms without embarrassment.
She said: “I think the term ‘bowel movements’ should be banned. We all need to get used to talking about our poo, and doctors do too.”
Consultant Meg Finch-Jones, of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We, the Hepatobiliary Team, are so pleased that Bryony has done so well and that she has chosen to champion pancreas cancer awareness.
“All patients are considered on a case-by-case basis, and a lot of factors go into making these critical decisions. But when surgery is possible, aggressive surgery and advanced chemotherapy offer the people in our care the best chance. Recent advances in chemotherapy are also improving lives for patients who cannot have surgery. Overall early diagnosis is key.”
Pancreatic cancer symptoms:
Belly pain that spreads to the sides or back
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Light-coloured or floating poo
Dark-coloured urine
Itching
New diagnosis of diabetes or diabetes that’s getting harder to control.
Family history of pancreatic cancer.