Woman wants diagnosis 'to not be a death sentence' after dad and 3 friends die (2025)

Jo Jefferies' dad Kevin Hesketh, 66, from Stockport, died shortly after holding his new granddaughter in his arms

A woman who lost her father and three friends to the same disease has said she is determined to try and help ensure it 'isn't a death sentence' in the future.

Jo Jeffries' dad, Kevin Hesketh, from Stockport, had put down his sudden weight loss to increased activity following his retirement from his job as an engineer in the car insurance industry.

However, he only sought medical advice when his wife Joan noticed he looked yellow and doctors discovered he had pancreatic cancer.

"It was a real blow to everybody. Dad was only 64 at the time [of diagnosis], he was incredibly energetic, vibrant, loved life, he was almost child-like in this enthusiasm for life," Jo said.

After undergoing surgery, her dad and his family were hopeful for a "bright future". Unfortunately, cancer cells were found in his lymph nodes, meaning he had to undergo chemotherapy.

When Daniel, now Mrs Jefferies' husband, proposed in the summer of 2008, they planned their wedding "very quickly" for December so her dad could attend.

She expressed gratitude to wedding photographer Dave Burlison for capturing "really, really special moments", adding: "There's a photograph of me hugging dad and just crying because I couldn't believe he had made it."

When baby Martha arrived, Mrs Jefferies' mother and two sisters brought her father from his home in Greater Manchester to Winchester.

"He came into the hospital and he was there and he held her," said Jo.

"It was just so special because he shouldn't have made that, he was just so sick."

During a second visit, however, his condition deteriorated, leading to his admission to St Ann's Hospice in Heald Green. It wasn't long before Mrs Jefferies received the call nobody ever wants to receive in November 2009, when he was 66.

"I said to him 'Dad, can you hear me?' and I just heard a noise and I said 'I'm on my way, I'm coming to see you, hold on' and he said 'OK'. 'OK' were the last words that he said."

Though her father was unconscious by the time she reached him, she cherishes the final hours spent at his side as a "precious memory".

He passed away surrounded by his wife and three daughters, shortly after they reassured him, "it's OK to go, you don't have to hang on any more, you don't need to suffer any more", said Jo.

"He would have fought forever if he could have done but he was just so sick and suffering so much.

"It was unimaginably painful facing what we knew was going to be a future which looked very different."

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Jo said she has also tragically lost three other "healthy, vibrant" friends to pancreatic cancer, one of whom was only 29 years old. "They had so much to live for. Their lives were taken way too soon," she said.

"I look forward to the day when somebody has a pancreatic cancer diagnosis that isn't a death sentence."

Jo has now slipped on her running shoes to honour her dad's fight, and will be taking on the London Marathon for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

She says the charity's rallying cry for offering "more than hope" post-diagnosis has galvanised her and, buoyed by the potential of a pioneering breath test that could revolutionise early detection and potentially save countless lives, Jo said the charity's message had resonated deeply with her.

"When I saw the strapline of 'more than hope' that PCUK had adopted, it couldn't depict it any better than our experience of what we've gone through," said Jo.

"You realise you're almost holding your breath at every point just thinking 'I hope this is going to happen' because, everybody who has a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, really it's tantamount to a death sentence at the moment.

"I have met people who have had weeks, less than a handful of weeks, with their beloved people that have been diagnosed."

Annually in the UK, roughly 10,500 individuals are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer—with more than half facing mortality within three months. The survival rate beyond five years is bleak, at less than 7%.

A contributing factor is the absence of early detection tests, with four out of five patients (80%) receiving diagnoses only when the cancer has metastasised, rendering life-saving interventions impossible.

Pancreatic Cancer UK, the charity of the year for the TCS London Marathon, has over 700 runners working towards a £2 million target. The funds will launch a breath test that Jo describes as "game-changing."

"It's inexpensive, it's going to cost £10-12 for GP surgeries to be able to conduct this breath test which will be able to diagnose it at such an early stage."

For Jo, the memory of her dad remains a firm part of their family celebrations, despite her dad no longer being around.

"Mum's 70th birthday was not long after he died, that was the first big milestone birthday. He missed the birth of our second child. He's missed significant stuff with the grandchildren," said Jo.

"He's definitely kept alive in the way that we live our lives and we still talk about him but there are significant things that he's missed and we would have loved him to be a part of."

Pancreatic Cancer UK advises anyone experiencing one or more of the most common symptoms – back pain, indigestion, stomach pain and weight-loss – for more than four weeks should contact their GP. Anyone with jaundice – yellowing of the eyes or skin – should immediately go to A&E.

You can sponsor Jo by clicking here.