A Daughter's Heartbreaking Race Against Time
Grace Gillen received the devastating phone call while her father lay unconscious in the next room. The consultant's solemn words echoed through the line: "Your dad has pancreatic cancer. I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do." Her father, Eamonn, passed away just six days later on March 16, 2023, at the age of 58.
The Slow Unfolding of a Medical Mystery
In November 2022, Grace first noticed her father had lost weight, but the family didn't think much of it initially. By early December, he contracted a persistent virus that left him constantly fatigued and suffering from acid reflux. Within weeks, shingles caused one side of his face to droop significantly.
What they didn't realize at the time was that his body was desperately fighting pancreatic cancer, leaving him vulnerable to infections. The first week of January brought such intense pain that Eamonn visited the emergency department for a CT scan.
The Diagnostic Odyssey
The CT scan results revealed cancer, initially detected in his kidney. Medical professionals performed a biopsy to determine the exact nature of the disease, but after waiting several weeks, the results proved inconclusive. A second biopsy became necessary.
Even without a formal diagnosis, doctors informed the family in early March that Eamonn was terminally ill. This marked the beginning of palliative care, involving multiple healthcare professionals visiting their home to make his remaining time as comfortable as possible.
"He was given a proper hospital bed, visits from his GP, community nursing teams, and palliative care nurses," Grace recalls. Living on the second floor and barely able to walk, Eamonn rarely left the apartment but received regular visits from friends and family.
The Final Diagnosis and Rapid Decline
On March 10, the family finally received confirmation of the biopsy results: pancreatic cancer. This diagnosis came three months after Eamonn first visited his general practitioner.
"It was devastating," Grace remembers. In his final days, Eamonn drifted in and out of consciousness. His last words to his daughter were "Love you too," spoken when she said goodnight as they put him to bed.
He slipped into full unconsciousness around March 12. The following day, a nurse predicted he would pass away within 24 hours, but Eamonn held on until his best friend Neal could visit. Even while comatose, he raised his hands when Neal arrived, as if acknowledging his presence.
A Peaceful Passing and Family Legacy
The family gathered around Eamonn's bedside, with his wife Georgina whispering in his ear, "It's time now babe, you can go, we're all going to be OK." Twenty minutes later, he passed away peacefully.
In a bittersweet tribute, the family opened a bottle of champagne, sharing stories and laughter through their tears—exactly what Eamonn would have wanted.
A Second Cancer Battle and Different Outcomes
Tragically, six months after Eamonn's death, Georgina was diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer. Having witnessed her husband's experience, she immediately asked her consultant about her prognosis and made the most of her remaining time.
The difference in their medical journeys was stark: Georgina underwent emergency surgery immediately and began chemotherapy within three weeks, while Eamonn's diagnosis had been delayed for months.
The family later learned that consultants had shared more information with Eamonn about how his cancer had spread than he had revealed to them, yet he still lacked a complete understanding of his condition.
The Deadliest Common Cancer
Pancreatic cancer remains the deadliest common cancer, with over half of patients dying within three months of diagnosis. Grace shares her father's story to raise awareness of the symptoms, which include:
- Jaundice
- Itchy skin
- Darker urine or stool
- Unintentional weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Raised temperature and chills
Turning Grief Into Action
Grace has channeled her loss into advocacy and fundraising. She signed up for the 2025 London Marathon, where Pancreatic Cancer UK serves as the Charity of the Year. The charity recently unveiled "Shoes of Hope," an installation along the River Thames featuring 797 pairs of trainers—each representing a life lost to pancreatic cancer monthly.
Grace donated a pair with a dedication to her father and running partner, Eamonn. The installation includes contributions from celebrities personally affected by the disease, including Richard Armitage, Tony Audenshaw, Ainsley Harriott, Alison Steadman, Joseph Fiennes, Olivia Williams, Amir Khan, and Georgia Toffolo.
"It was as if it were a sign from Dad," Grace reflects. Eamonn had introduced her to running a decade earlier and completed the London Marathon himself in the 1990s, considering it one of his greatest achievements. She knows he would be proud of her efforts to honor his memory while raising funds for early detection research.
Grace encourages others to support Pancreatic Cancer UK's petition urging government funding for vital research, hoping her father's story might save lives through increased awareness and earlier diagnosis.
