Ashford Castle shines a light on World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Ashford Castle and The Lodge at Ashford Castle was illuminated in purple last night as part of the 5 in 6 awareness campaign to highlight the threat of pancreatic cancer which is described as 'the silent cancer'.

Ashford Castle and The Lodge at Ashford Castle along with eight of the leading hotels in Ireland lit up in purple to mark World Pancreatic Cancer Day which takes place today, November 16. The '5 in 6 campaign' aims to spotlight one of the world’s deadliest cancers, which kills five in every six people diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas, 50 percent within the first year.

Ashford Castle's Niall Rochford has spearheaded the campaign after his wife Stella died just eight weeks after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022. Mr Rochford said Stella's death has had a devastating impact for him and his three children and he believes the greatest tribute he can pay her is to help ensure that others who receive a diagnosis are given the best possible chance of survival through education, advocacy and research.

“For me and my family, the 5 in 6 campaign is the start of Stella’s legacy. The more people that know about pancreatic cancer, the better our chances of fighting it.

“I want to save as many families as possible from the trauma and devastation we have experienced and that starts with awareness of this deadly disease that ruins so many lives,” said Niall.

Niall stated he never imagined he would be spearheading an awareness campaign but after Stella's death he joined forces with Pancreatic Cancer Ireland, survivors of pancreatic cancer and medical experts to raise awareness of the disease so that any chance of increased early detection can lead to better outcomes for other families and their loved ones. In comparison to other cancers, pancreatic cancer has a shockingly low survival rate.

Pancreatic cancer is not one of the more commonly diagnosed cancers but unfortunately it is one of the leading causes of cancer related death worldwide. While people may have few symptoms in the early stages of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, Professor Aisling Barry, Chair of Radiation Oncology at University College Cork suggests that if anyone experiences one or more of six key symptoms to consider seeking further medical care.

“While of course these symptoms in isolation may have other causes, it’s important that people are alerted to their potential association with pancreatic cancer, particularly if there is a family history of the disease. While many of the symptoms might only develop as the disease progresses, people can empower themselves to seek further medical input by being aware of their family medical history and by knowing these potential symptoms,” she said.

The six main symptoms include: Tummy pain or back pain; digestive problems: poor appetite, indigestion, nausea; jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) and/or itchiness; noticeable change in bowel habits (light-coloured or floating stools); new diagnosis of diabetes or diabetes that’s getting harder to control; and unexplained weight loss.

With purple the symbol of the pancreatic cancer awareness cause, Niall thanked his industry colleagues who didn’t hesitate in lending their support to the campaign by lighting up their hotels in purple to mark Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day

The hotels which joined Ashford Castle and The Lodge at Ashford Castle in lighting up their hotels in purple were Adare Manor, Limerick; Cashel Palace, Tipperary; Dromoland Castle, Clare; Trump Doonbeg, Clare; Killarney Park Hotel, Kerry; Hayfield Manor, Cork; The K Club, Kildare and The Merrion Hotel, Dublin.