In July 2015, at the age of 58, Louis was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. It was then that he found out just how difficult it was to actually diagnose the disease. He had very common symptoms that he didn’t relate, such as back pain and digestion issues. “It is so difficult to diagnose and the symptoms are very vague, even for the person to actually go to the GP as the GP themselves they don’t relate - as they are very common symptoms so you don’t think pancreatic cancer at first,” Louis said.
Explaining why he decided to create the charity, Louis said: “I was diagnosed in 2015 and then after I survived, I decided I should do something to make the public aware. There was no real reason. It just felt like a natural instinct, people should know about it - if you can save one life its worth doing.”
He added: That is how we started and the pancreatic cancer is a very unknown cancer in the sense that it is usually diagnosed very late. You get a lot of elderly getting diagnosed. It is a 50/50 chance of men and women getting it. When you get it, it is normally to kill you, I have been one of the lucky ones.”
SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY
Mr Baldachino stated that the support from the local community regarding the charity has been great. “For other cancers you might have a ‘bigger audience’ as such, as there are more people who get it. So it’s easier to communicate to the community. There are more common cancers so you can get more support.
“For us it’s maybe smaller but it is as important as the others.
Support has been great, on our Facebook page we have just under 500 members. Every event we do I do get a lot of support and feedback.”
Louis also stated that the GHA have supported him and the charity since their creation. He said: “In our first two years we were quite active before Covid. We brought over CEO, Ali Stunt from a UK based charity called Pancreatic Cancer Action. She came over twice and gave talks to consultants, doctors and GP’s in the GHA and also to the staff in Cancer Relief centre. That went down really well. I got fantastic feedback.”
RAISING AWARENESS
In 2018, the 64-year-old hit one of the charity’s main goals in only the first year of the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness group being founded.
He said: “Hospitals have pathways which the GP’s and consultants follow to diagnose and the pancreatic cancer was not included on the pathway, so it tells you how not the right attention was being given to that cancer. On the first visit we had from the speaker, CEO Ali Stunt; they [the GHA] did include the pancreatic cancer so for us it was a massive success.”
One of the charity’s other aims is to really raise awareness about the disease. He said: “All our aim is to make awareness. All of our events and activities we involve the GHA consultants and doctors. We contribute and sponsor for cancer training.
“Last year we sponsored a specialised cancer nurse training in the GHA. Previously we partly sponsored nurse training of cancer care or after care. So everything we do is to put awareness to the public and especially to GPs.”
As November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month, Louis usually hosts an annual awareness event in conjunction with the Moorish Castle light up. In 2018, he hosted the event in the Grand Battery and invited American singer, Erin Willett, whose song ‘Hope’s Alive’ is known as the anthem for pancreatic cancer, as her father died of the disease.
This year due to ongoing Covid restrictions they are not hosting an event, nevertheless, the Moorish castle will be lit in purple from the 15th-22nd November.
THINK PANCREATIC CANCER SOONER
They have also placed a banner next to Chatham Counterguard and they have sent letters to all GP’s, with the phrase ‘think pancreatic cancer sooner’. “That we do through the primary care, they are very good and they distribute that to all GP’s. We do that in a kind way to remind them,” Louis said.
WEAR PURPLE
Alongside this the 18th November is purple day, where businesses, shops, schools and organisations are encouraged to wear the colour purple to raise awareness of Pancreatic Cancer.
He added: “It’s a combination of getting the public to be aware of the symptoms and also the medical side; GP’s, consultants.”
They charity also support the pancreatic cancer patients in Gibraltar who want to contact them for help and advice, alongside sending support to the family in what to expect.
In regard to the future of the charity, Louis said: “Our main goals are to put awareness to public as they are vague symptoms and to the GP’s that it is there and to think pancreatic cancer sooner, and any support we can give to families and patients.
“Being in Gibraltar; a small community, they know where we are.”
Louis added: “We will continue to work with the GHA and Cancer Relief Centre and any projects that they have or any training that is needed - we would help and sponsor. We are open to sponsorship in whatever will help out in cancer care or diagnosing pancreatic cancer.”
*The Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Gibraltar Facebook group can be found by following this link: www.facebook.com/groups/305619389924029/.

18-11-21 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR