Daughters’ Plea to Recognise Pancreatic Cancer Warning Signs After Devastating Loss
A Manchester family is bravely sharing their heartbreaking experience to raise crucial awareness of pancreatic cancer, a disease they describe as the “deadliest common cancer.” Andrzej Bielecki, a vibrant 58-year-old, passed away in February 2023, a mere six weeks after receiving a devastating diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer. His daughters, Scarlett Bielecka, 28, and step-daughter Emilia Rocky, 27, are now urging the public to become familiar with the subtle yet critical warning signs of this aggressive illness.
Andrzej was remembered by his daughters as an “incredibly positive,” “warm,” and “zestful” man who embraced life fully and was a devoted father figure. Scarlett fondly recalls cherished memories of wild camping adventures and learning to drive with her “great dad.” Emilia, who gained Andrzej as a stepfather when he married her mother in 2019, described him as an “instantly quite a father figure” who brought immense joy and stability to her life.
However, the family’s journey was tragically marked by years of symptoms that were repeatedly dismissed by medical professionals. For a significant period of “three or four years” leading up to his diagnosis, Andrzej suffered from persistent acid reflux and indigestion. Initially, doctors advised simple indigestion tablets as a remedy. By August 2022, a more concerning, dull ache in his stomach began to manifest. Despite numerous “back and forth” visits to doctors, he was once again prescribed more indigestion tablets in September 2022. “They didn’t really do anything,” Emilia recounted, highlighting the growing frustration and lack of answers.
Further medical investigations, including blood tests that came back as “normal,” led to an endoscopy. This procedure revealed a hiatus hernia, which doctors considered a “plausible explanation” for Andrzej’s ongoing pain. Yet, as December 2022 progressed, Andrzej’s condition showed no improvement. He was even sent home from the hospital without a definitive diagnosis, leaving the family in a state of anxious uncertainty.
The situation took a dramatic and terrifying turn on Christmas Eve. Emilia recounted the distressing events: “By Christmas Eve, I was at my mum’s house and he was in quite a lot of pain. He’d also lost a lot of weight and was becoming jaundiced.” Believing he might be suffering a heart attack, Andrzej returned to A&E. This time, gallstones were suspected. A subsequent scan uncovered a blocked bile duct and significantly elevated bilirubin levels, which were the cause of his jaundice.
A referral for an MRI scan followed. The results of this scan led to a pivotal phone call on January 9, 2023, confirming the devastating diagnosis: advanced pancreatic cancer. The family then faced an agonizing wait for a consultant’s appointment. The news delivered was bleak; the cancer had already spread extensively, rendering any treatment or surgical intervention impossible. Andrzej was given a prognosis of just six months to live and was recommended for end-of-life care.
Scarlett described receiving this news as “the worst phone call” of her life. Emilia expressed the family’s collective shock and disbelief: “Andrzej accepted it completely, but everyone else was in shock, disbelief, and we couldn’t accept that this could have happened. It was the worst nightmare in the world.” Despite the overwhelming horror, Andrzej maintained his characteristic positivity, focusing on spending his remaining time “as much as possible” with his loved ones.
In the poignant weeks that followed, the family made the most of their precious time together. They embarked on several meaningful trips, including a memorable campervan holiday in Scotland and a peaceful stay in Chippenham. Scarlett shared quiet moments of solace with her father, cherishing simple pleasures like watching episodes of their favourite show, ‘Early Doors,’ together. Emilia observed Andrzej’s rapid physical decline, noting his loss of appetite, significant weight loss, persistent vomiting, and increasing immobility. Yet, even in his weakened state, he remained remarkably positive, consistently stating, “he didn’t want to ever worry people or bring the mood down.”
By mid-February, Andrzej’s health deteriorated significantly. After a visit to Bristol, Emilia drove him and her mother back to Derbyshire. District nurses were called, and Scarlett was urgently advised to say her goodbyes. “When I went up to see my dad, he was so ill and almost completely unrecognisable,” Scarlett recalled, remembering his delirious state but also his enduring wish to watch another episode of their beloved show. Their final interaction was a tender exchange of “I love you.”
Emilia stayed with her stepfather that night, witnessing his “severe delirium.” The following morning, her mother delivered the news of his passing. Entering his room, Emilia found a comforting sight: Andrzej had a “smile on his face” and appeared “completely different” from the night before.
In May, the family honoured Andrzej’s wish for a celebration of life, intentionally opting for a gathering free from tears. Emilia later reached out to Pancreatic Cancer UK, sharing Andrzej’s story and his final wish for his ashes to be scattered on the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route he had completed twice. In his memory, Emilia, Scarlett, their mother Suzanne, and Emilia’s boyfriend Jamie, undertook a challenging 100km charity walk along the Camino. Emilia described the experience as “one of the best things” she’s ever done.
“This cancer isn’t anywhere near talked about enough,” Emilia stressed, highlighting the critical need for greater public awareness. Pancreatic Cancer UK underscores that it is the “deadliest common cancer,” with a grim statistic: over half of patients die within three months of diagnosis. Alarmingly, approximately 80% of cases are diagnosed only after the cancer has spread, making effective treatment an impossibility.
Scarlett echoed this sentiment, stating, “It’s not a cancer that people really talk about.” Emilia concluded with a poignant reflection on the lost time: “If Andrzej had got diagnosed any sooner, I don’t know if it would have really changed how long he had left, but it would have given him so much more time to do more that he loved. He just didn’t have the time.” Their story serves as a powerful testament to the urgent need for earlier detection and increased public understanding of pancreatic cancer’s insidious warning signs.
