Anthony Gorman ignored the symptoms at first.
He was experiencing stomach pains and not feeling quite right, but thought that it would pass without medical intervention.
“I felt a bit off for a while. But I’m stubborn, so I kept telling myself that it would pass,” he said. “But as time went on the pains in my stomach got worse and I started having blurred vision.”
The 41-year-old went to the emergency department and was admitted immediately pending further tests, which unfortunately revealed that he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
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“The doctor told me it was terminal, but to be honest I knew bad news was coming, as I was told to bring in a family member to get the news,” Gorman said. “When the doctor told me, I just stood up and walked out of the room, went straight back to my hospital bed and cried. All of could think of was my son, who was six at the time.
“A doctor who was to become my oncologist, came to talk to me, said they would try everything they could – and over the past few years, she has given me the best help.”
A former security worker, Gorman, who lives in Swords, Dublin with his partner Sarah and son Teegan, has a family history of cancer as several members have a genetic condition called Lynch Syndrome, which raises the risk of developing cancer.
He started treatment with chemotherapy, but is now on immunotherapy and says that although he currently “feels fine”, he gets tired very easily and can no longer engage in the activities he enjoyed in the past.
Each year, approximately 600 people in the Republic of Ireland and 290 in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with this form of cancer, with over 560 deaths per year in the Republic and over 255 in the North attributed to pancreatic cancer annually – and the five-year survival rate remains extremely low.
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 15 per cent. But hope is on the horizon following the groundbreaking news last week that a Spanish team led by scientistMariano Barbacid have eliminated aggressive pancreatic tumours in mice.
Breakthrough Cancer Research in Ireland says that it is a “very encouraging and important piece of early research”.
“The study, from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, showed full tumour regression in animal models, which is an impressive scientific step forward,” said Orla Dolan, chief executive of Breakthrough Cancer Research.
“At this stage, it is not a cure for people with cancer, but it is a hopeful development in the long journey of turning laboratory discoveries into real treatments.”
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If these findings progress through the usual research pathway, it could take eight to 10 years or more before it is known whether this approach can benefit people with pancreatic cancer.
Breakthrough Cancer Research has announced the second all-Ireland cancer network with €1 million investment in pancreatic cancer research.
Cancer affects 44,000 people each year in Ireland and Wednesday marks World Cancer Day.
Leitrim-based milliner Jennifer Wrynne was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2024 at the age of 36, after discovering a lump in her breast just two months after the birth of her daughter, Amelia Rose.
Speaking in advance of the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day 2026 launch, ambassador Wrynne said cancer doesn’t discriminate by age.
“I had recently welcomed my fourth baby, and cancer was the last thing on my mind. Life was busy and full and then, suddenly, everything stopped. My world was turned upside down overnight,” she said.
“A cancer diagnosis brings fear, shock, and huge uncertainty, not just for you, but for the people who depend on you. I quickly learned how much strength you can find when you have the right support around you.”
“My diagnosis has highlighted how important awareness, early detection, and support truly are,” she added.
The Irish Cancer Society is also making a further commitment of over €1 million for the Young Onset Cancer Pilot Programme for 2026 and 2027.
Pancreatic cancer is set to be the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030, but there has been huge clinical progress over the past few years.
Early signs of the disease include stomach pain, mild back pain, jaundice, unexpected weight loss, changes in stool, indigestion, loss of appetite and new onset diabetes. These symptoms can be caused by other conditions, but if they persist for three weeks or more, people should seek medical advice.
Gorman said research is the way forward and can make all the difference to outcomes.
“My sister died from cancer age 26 and my mother died when she was 46,” he said. “The gene can skip some children – but my siblings and I all got tested for it, some of us have it, and others don’t.”
His son will be tested for Lynch Syndrome in a few years and he hopes that treatment will have advanced by then.
“Once I know that he’ll be okay and not have to go through what I did, then I’ll be happy.”
