Sharing the hardest news: Telling my family about cancer

After receiving the news that I did have pancreatic cancer, my mind quickly shifted to the next challenge - telling my family. It was a conversation I never imagined I would have to have, and I braced myself for the difficult calls.

I called Mum and Dad first, knowing it would be the hardest call to make. As expected, it was shocking and emotional news to give and hear. Their voices wavered, filled with concern and sadness, and I could feel the weight of their questions - even the ones they didn't ask. There were so many things I didn’t have answers for yet, and that uncertainty made it even harder.

After telling my parents I went on to tell my Aunt Sally, Megan and Melanie my sisters and David my brother. Each conversation felt like reliving the news all over again, but I tried to stay calm and focus on what we knew so far. I explained that it was a neuroendocrine tumour in the head of the pancreas, and that we’d be meeting with a surgeon later in the month.

Ros and I also told her family - her Dad, sisters and brother to inform them of the latest in my cancer diagnosis and the next steps.

Later that day, I found out that my Aunt Linda had been diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland and was scheduled for surgery in 1-2 weeks. It felt surreal - like the universe had conspired to add yet another layer to an already heavy day. Coincidentally, she was calling at the exact moment I was on the phone with Mum and Dad, sharing my own diagnosis. It was a strange reminder of how life can change in an instant for so many of us.

That day was a blur of difficult conversations, emotions, and a sense of shared vulnerability. It wasn’t easy to face, but I knew that having our family’s support would be a source of strength in the uncertain times ahead.