Brian's Story

Our beautiful and amazing husband and father Brian was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer at the age of 43.

Brian was a wonderful Police officer who spent his life helping young people understand how the police can help them and that they are not their enemy.

He spent many years working in the Victorian Police Schools Program and was friend to many and admired by most. Everybody including parents of School children knew who Senior Brian (as he was affectionately known) was.

Brian suffered from what was thought was originally stress and eventually left the force. He continued to help people with volunteer work in Red Cross Emergency Services until his death.

Brian had suffered chest pain and a feeling of someone reaching into his back and pulling his rib cage through his back. This pain was very severe but after many doctors and antianxiety drugs his condition was put down to stress?

After a period of many years of tests Doctors and even an endoscopy nothing could be found, so Brian just assumed that the pain was all in his head. Eventually he wasn’t eating properly and I finally took him to a very experienced GP who’s diagnostic abilities where amazing. I thought Brian was depressed but our doctor thought with his symptoms we would rule out other things first.

The first test he was sent on was a ultrasound on his upper abdomenal cavity. After the ultrasound Brian called me at work and was so excited because he said that they found something going on.

And for the first time it was not all in his mind. I was really happy for him we were on a high only to be taken back to earth at 5pm that very same day when the Doctor called me over to the clinic. Being a Pharmacist we had a good relationship and he told me that Brian had Pancreatic Cancer. I was shattered beyond belief. This was not happening.

We were required to go for a CT scan the next day and all was revealed and confirmed. A biopsy was done immediately. Surgery was scheduled within 10 days and the Doctors were amazing and hopeful they could remove the cancer. It was unfortunately attached to veins that could not be removed and after waiting 7 hours for Brian to have his surgery we were struck with the reality of a terminal disease.

Brian was only 43 when diagnosed our daughter was 8 years old. Our world was not as we had hoped.

After 8 months of radiation and chemo we discovered that although the cancer had shrunk there were now spots on the lungs and eventually the liver. 15 months after the diagnosis and having just turned 45 years old he lost his battle. Although he fought this disease courageously and he had come to terms with it, my daughter and I were left to continue on without the love of our life. He was an amazing man, adoring husband and wonderful caring father.

This disease is normally found in older people but I lost my husband at 45 years. Cancer knows no boundaries.

We are proud of his fight and his legacy to people he helped during his life. We hope that we can help make a difference to this disease and help someone else.