My Story is about my mother Galina.

 

The Discovery

It was diagnosed when she was taken to hospital and operated on. She lived for about 5 months.

 

This is My Story

My mother had a hard life and just when life could have been a little easier for her Pancreatic Cancer took her life. I was 21 and had a Downs Syndrome sister who was now my responsibility. I basically looked after my mother at home, taking time off work. It was a horrible, sad time and I was with her when she took her last breath. I was devastated. I have since been petrified that I also would get Pancreatic Cancer because of the hereditary factor. I have thought about having a genome test but have not done this. I follow all the scientific studies and as I have been a volunteer with The Garvan Institute of Medical Research I am pleased that they are doing a lot of research. It changed my life.

 

The Impact of Time

It was a late diagnosis after an exploratory operation and time ran out very quickly. The ‘Gift’ was taken away from my mother. She died in 1969 at age 64.