WARRENPOINT TOWN HALL WILL LIGHT UP PURPLE TO RECOGNISE PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Warrenpoint Town Hall will be illuminated in purple light for the Month of November as part of Pancreatic Cancer UK’s Purple Lights for Hope awareness campaign in a bid to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.

Purple Lights for Hope presents an opportunity to celebrate the lives of loved ones dealing with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and to remember those who have sadly died of the disease, whilst also spreading a message of hope. It has captured the imagination of patients, families, health professionals and campaigners since its launch last year when 60 landmarks and buildings lit up in the UK, including the Trafalgar Square fountains in London, the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, the Brighton Wheel and the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.

Anyone can take part in Purple Lights for Hope, by organising for a local landmark to be lit up purple, or by hosting their own event in their back garden or local park with purple glow sticks and fairy lights.

Councillor Naomi Bailie, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said, “We are delighted to be supporting Pancreatic Cancer UK’s Purple Lights for Hope campaign. We hope that by lighting up Warrenpoint Town Hall purple, Council are going some way to help put a spotlight on the illness and to highlight a disease that many people still know so very little about.”

Only around four per cent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive five years or more. This figure has hardly changed in 40 years. It is the fifth most common cause of all cancer deaths in the UK and it is predicted that by 2030 pancreatic cancer will overtake breast cancer as the fourth most common cancer killer.

Alex Ford, Chief Executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK said: “Purple Lights for Hope presents a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer. One person is diagnosed in the UK every hour, and the disease has the lowest survival rate of all the 21 common cancers, so it really is crucial that we all find out more about it.

Cllr Bailie continued, “ On behalf of everyone at Pancreatic Cancer UK I would like to say a huge thank you to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for helping us to spread the word about pancreatic cancer, as well as a vital message of hope to everyone affected by the disease.”

To find out what other landmarks are lighting up this year visit www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/purplelightsmap.

Caption: Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Cllr Naomi Bailie (centre) visited Warrenpoint Town Hall on Wednesday 4 November to meet with Council's Jacqueline Turley (left) and Michelle Penney (right) from Pancreatic Cancer UK to raise awareness for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. (PCAM). The Town Hall will be lit up pupil.