On World Pancreatic Cancer Day, 15 November, under the banner “Take Action. Demand Better.” organisations around the world called for more attention, awareness and progress to help patients fight and survive this disease.

Pancreatic cancer I have long been passionate about pancreatic cancer.  It is also a cause that I have spent many years advocating the need for change, collaboration and consensus. In 2012 my friend, Professor Robert Sutherland, lost his life to this awful disease only months after he opened the Kinghorn Cancer Centre, of which he was the inaugural director.

I never met Philip Hemstrich.  I did, however, have the great pleasure of meeting Jane Hemstrich when I was able to facilitate the establishment of a pancreatic cancer research fellowships in her husband’s memory. In 2014 Jane had asked if I could try and bring the difference pancreatic cancer groups together to maximise our impact. I tried and failed. In early 2015 Jane asked me to try again, so try I did, and this time it worked.

Looking back, it all seems quite effortless the way the various organisations accepted my invitation come to Sydney to discuss opportunities. To my great surprise, at that first meeting, this unique collaboration of organisations and individuals agreed to come together as a collaborative voice-driven to raising awareness of pancreatic cancer in Australia.

On the eve of  World Pancreatic Cancer Day 2015, I was in the Jubilee Room in NSW Parliament to hear the Hon. Jillian Skinner, Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research, launch the pancreatic cancer alliance with Patron, Tracey Spicer. I remember standing at the back, listing to the speeches and feeling a great sense of pride in what, thanks to encouragement from Jane, achieved. It remains today a highlight of my working life.

From day one the alliance had momentum, and it is an example to our standing that three members organisations were invited to the inaugural World Wide Pancreatic Cancer Coalition in Chicago in 2016.

In 2017 at the request of the alliance, I utilised almost every contact I had ever had to get the chance for a face-to-face meeting with CEO of the Sydney Opera House, Lousie Herron, so I could give my pitch to turn the sails purple to mark that year’s world pancreatic day. The meeting was secured, the request granted, and the image of a purple Sydney Opera House was used internationally to make the day.

This year more than 70 organisations from 30 countries and six continents united to raise awareness and inspire action on World Pancreatic Cancer Day.

I look forward to the day when we have to cancel World Pancreatic Cancer Day, but until then, please save the date for World Pancreatic Cancer Day 2019 – Thursday, November 21, 2019 – and take action and Demand Better. For Patients. For Survival.