There is never a right time to hear that your body is no longer working as it should.
For Paul Williams, it began in 2015 with a sharp pain one morning, the first sign that something serious was unfolding. A week in hospital brought a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. He left believing things would settle.
“I was your typical stubborn male with the old ‘she’ll be right’ mentality,” Paul reflects. “In hindsight, I wish I’d taken it more seriously.”
Over the next two years, further flare-ups followed. By 2021, another emergency admission confirmed the condition had progressed to chronic pancreatitis, permanent structural damage to his pancreas. The impact was immediate. Digestive problems. Significant weight loss. A body that no longer functioned as it once had. Paul was also diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).
In early 2025, Paul’s health shifted again. After several hospital visits for what he assumed were further pancreatitis episodes, new symptoms emerged: extreme thirst, exhaustion and tingling in his feet. A blood test eventually confirmed very high HbA1c levels. Further investigation led to a diagnosis of Type 3c diabetes, sometimes called pancreatogenic diabetes.
“This means the inflammation and scarring from pancreatitis damages the cells that produce insulin, most people with diabetes have a ‘software’ problem, where the body doesn’t use insulin properly. I have a ‘hardware’ problem, my pancreas has been physically damaged.”
Living with this “hardware” damage requires constant management. Paul takes pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy with every meal and snack to digest nutrients properly.
"Sometimes I feel no symptoms at all, the monitor alarm is the only warning"
He also takes medication to support blood sugar control and relies on a Continuous Glucose Monitor, as his body no longer reliably signals when his glucose levels drop. Because chronic pancreatitis can damage both insulin and glucagon production, people like Paul face a higher risk of sudden hypoglycaemia.
It is complex, relentless and life-altering.
“I would not wish this disease on my worst enemy.”
Turning experience into action
Paul’s journey has been volatile. But a turning point came when he connected with Pankind’s Support Navigator, Dianne.
Through that conversation, Paul learned about a pilot study focused on early detection, shifting his outlook from simply managing illness to contributing to progress.
“I have everything crossed that this study will not only raise awareness, but help create a clear action plan to detect pancreatic cancer earlier.
For Paul, being part of something bigger matters. Chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. Early detection offers the greatest opportunity to improve outcome.
Stories like Paul’s remind us why research, awareness and advocacy are urgent. Survival rates have barely shifted in 15 years.
That must change.
Together, we can drive earlier detection, invest in research and ensure people affected by pancreatic disease are not left behind.
Contact Dianne, Support Navigator
on 1800 003 800 for information and find out about the services and support that may be available for you and your family.
