Tower tribute for cancer mum who loved the resort

Fiona Campbell had never heard of pancreatic cancer until her mum was diagnosed, and now the grieving daughter wants to help others spot signs of the disease.

The 39-year-old was heartbroken when her mum Linda was given six months to live after initially being sent home three times with anti-sickness pills.

She died a year later aged 65.

Fiona, who arranged for the Tower to be lit up purple last night for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day, said: "The survival rates are just horrific.

"All I want is to help people to spot the signs sooner and hopefully one day families don't need to go through such heartache."

Doctors suspected pancreatic cancer but when they found a tumour in Linda's lung, they didn't do any further tests, Fiona said.

She was diagnosed five months later.

"It was such a distressing wait and, with no formal diagnosis, my mum wasn't able to claim any support," Fiona, from Edinburgh, said.

Linda, an activity coordinator nominated for a Scottish Care Award in 2018, was married to electrical engineer Stuart and loved her trips to Blackpool.

Fiona said: "We'd visit the Tower every year and I remember going on rides at the Pleasure Beach.

"Mum hated every second but she'd come on them just to keep us happy.

"She was a really run and loveable person. She made friends everywhere and lived each day to the full."

Pancreatic cancer, which kills half of those diagnoses within three months, has vague symptoms, which make it harder for doctors to diagnose.

They include indigestion, weight loss, and lower back pain.

For more information, visit pancreaticcancer.org.uk