A Southampton nurse has told of the devastating moment she lost her beloved dad to pancreatic cancer just a few days before his 67th birthday last year. 

Victoria Snow, from Maybush, has described walking the line between distressed daughter and medical professional as 'heart-breaking'.

She's sharing her story of the deadliest common cancer during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, demanding more for others diagnosed with the disease as part of Pancreatic Cancer UK's More than Hope campaign.

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Tony Snow wasn't eligible for the only curative treatment, surgery, as the cancer had already spread to his liver by the time of his diagnosis in November 2021. He died in September 2023.

Victoria, 40, said: "It was devastating hearing that my dad was going to lose his life, and that such a positive person would have to face his own premature mortality.”

Having worked in the NHS for 17 years, Victoria knew that her dad wouldn’t be eligible for surgery, but Tony remained hopeful, undergoing palliative chemotherapy.

(Image: Family collection) Victoria added: "My dad came out of what would be his final appointment with the oncologist and said to me, “I’m not going to make it, am I?” Those words still bring a tear to my eye.

"I put my nurse hat on and spoke to him and my step mum as frankly as I was able.

"It was heart-breaking having to walk the line between medical professional and someone who was going to lose her dad.”

Sadly, Tony went downhill quickly. Victoria, her siblings and stepsiblings all gathered with his 16 grandchildren to say goodbye.

Victoria said: “We got more time than most, but it makes me sad knowing that there is no way to detect pancreatic cancer early.

"So much money has been invested in cancers like lung and breast which has improved survival but so little goes to pancreatic cancer, where survival is just as poor as it was decades ago."

(Image: Family collection) More than half of people with pancreatic cancer die within three months of diagnosis. Currently, no early detection tests exist and 80 per cent of people are not diagnosed until after the disease has spread.

The More than Hope campaign urges the public to join in demanding more for those affected. Just three per cent of the UK’s total cancer research budget is spent on pancreatic cancer.

(Image: Family collection)