( source: ABC News: Luke Bowden)
As a clinical worker, 68-year-old John was used to educating others about health. But in October last year, while delivering a chronic condition workshop to Aboriginal health coaches in the remote Northern Territory community of Timber Creek, a moment of profound realisation struck him.
Listing the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, abdominal and back pain, nausea, digestive issues, weight loss, and blood clots, John realised he was mentally ticking every single box.
Like many who receive this diagnosis, John had spent months explaining his symptoms away with logic: a spinal fracture accounted for his back pain; kidney stones seemed to explain the nausea and stomach pain. "I just kept on giving myself excuses that I didn't have it because I had far too much to do in the rest of my life," John shared in a recent profile by ABC News.
Two weeks later, after developing jaundice, John was admitted to a Darwin hospital. The news was stark: stage four, inoperable, terminal pancreatic cancer.
Described by friends as a "delusional optimist," John chose to channel the shock of his diagnosis into a profound purpose. His goal? To live with and beyond pancreatic cancer by leaving behind a legacy of information to make the journey easier for the next person.
John’s story highlights a reality we see every day at Pankind. Pancreatic cancer has transitioned from being considered a rare condition to the eighth most common cancer in Australia.
The Northern Territory Challenge
The geographical realities of Australia also play a massive role in patient outcomes. Shocked by the lack of localised support resources in the Top End, John decided to create his own, while simultaneously rallying his family to raise $13,450 for medical research by walking 4.5 kilometers in Pankind’s Put Your Foot Down fundraiser in Brisbane.
John and his family at Brisbane's Put Your Foot Down walk ( source: ABC News: Luke Bowden)
John’s "Beginner’s Guide" to Pancreatic Cancer
With trademark wit and raw honesty, John compiled what he calls "The beginner's guide to dying of pancreatic cancer in the Northern Territory." His advice holds profound truth for anyone facing a terminal diagnosis anywhere in Australia:
"The beginner's guide to dying of pancreatic cancer in the Northern Territory."
By John
Listen to your body:
"Don't fear asking your body a question you might not want the answer to. Speak on behalf of your body, it’s still yours."
Lean on others:
"Be prepared to ask people to do stuff. I'm fiercely independent, and it took me so long to take up what people had offered."
Get an Advanced Personal Plan:
"Don't be afraid of the process. It’s how you get a chance to say, when I'm at the point where I can no longer make my own decisions, who looks after my money, my will, do I want to be resuscitated?"
Be a little bit demanding:
"You will have a better journey if you ask for what you need."
Keep a bucket list:
"Even if it's simple or weird. Mine is to catch a barra. I've still never landed one."
Don't watch the clock:
"It's pretty rare that any medical practitioner will tell you how long you've got to live, they don't know."
Protect your mental health:
"Pancreatic cancer is like a sh*t Jetstar flight, you know you're going to get to the destination eventually, but you're not quite sure what baggage will be there at the end."
In true territory style, John compares the mental toll to a bumpy flight
source: ABC News: Luke Bowden
John’s determination to create a legacy of awareness reminds us all why the fight for early detection, better regional support, and well-funded medical research is so incredibly urgent.
This article references reporting originally published by ABC News.