Purple is the color of a pancreatic cancer ribbon and November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. There are many worthy causes in the world, each with its own color and ribbon to help bring awareness to the fight.
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest formulas of all the cancers medical science tracks. The pancreas is an organ that aids in digestion and is located deep in the stomach. It is also in charge of regulating blood sugars and their healthy levels. One of the most common types of pancreatic issues is when there is a tumor. This creates an environment for the blood cells to reproduce rapidly and grow. This is where the danger of the illness is found. This is why we were a purple pancreatic cancer ribbon.
Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
Most of the symptoms show up near the end of the illness when it is almost too late for treatment. However, it is a good idea to know what some of the major symptoms could be. Unfortunately, many of the indicators could be signs of something else.
Fatigue, Weight Loss, or Weakness – these symptoms can be an indication of many different illnesses or simply too much stress. It is important to have them checked out by your physician.
Gastric Misery – this includes such digestive issues as nausea, vomiting, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, feeling of fullness in the stomach or bowels, and loss of appetite. Also, abdominal pain is located in the middle or upper abdomen or even the lower back.
New Diabetes Diagnosis – if you are diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor about pancreatic cancer, this is one of the early warning signs. This cancer is found in diabetics more than those without diabetes.
Jaundice (yellowing) – this is the yellowing of the skin and/or the whites of the eyes. It is caused by the bilirubin, a yellow pigment in the blood, is elevated. A person with jaundice could also experience pale-colored stools and dark-colored urine.
Early Detection is the Key
Wearing a pancreatic cancer ribbon is one way to help bring awareness to this type of illness. Learning about and sharing facts, as well as the risk factors and symptoms of pancreatic cancer can be helpful. A recent cancer study estimates that over 1,250 people worldwide are being diagnosed with this deadly illness each day. Unfortunately, the death rate is increasing for pancreatic cancer, while other cancer deaths are on the decline.
Education and Prevention
There are several factors that lead to a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, however, each individual is different. Alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, and obesity are a few of the contributing factors for those who are more at risk for this type of cancer.
One of the best things you can do for your body is to eat healthily and quit smoking, or do not take it up. Give up drinking or drink alcoholic beverages in moderation and help spread awareness by wearing a purple pancreatic cancer ribbon.
