Lochcarron man takes on Inverness Half Marathon in tribute to Dad who succumbed to pancreatic cancer 'silent killer'

THE Wester Ross son of a man who died just six days after being told he had terminal pancreatic cancer will this weekend honour his dad's memory in a bid to spare other families heartache.

Gary Dean Morrice was just 56 when he died from the cruel disease, often dubbed the silent killer.

Having lived in Lochcarron since the age of 17, Gary started feeling unwell early in 2022 but was, according to son Lachlan, "one of those guys who just got on with things and never wanted to bother the doctor".

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After an initial diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, further tests found cysts growing on his pancreas, prompting an operation to an operation to bypass part of the duodenum.A lack of appetite was coupled with difficulty in digesting food, weight loss and a loss of energy. It was a stark reversal for a man known as the life and soul of the party. His stoic approach to illness left Lachlan convinced his dad had hidden from his family just how much pain he was in.

Tragically in September he was told he had cancer which was inoperable because the cyst was tangled around his internal organs. Given between three to six months to live, sadly he passed away just six days after the diagnosis was confirmed.

Lachlan is stepping out for the Inverness Half Marathon this weekend to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action Scotland. He's already smashed his original £1000 target with over £3770 pledged already.

He said: "Dad always seemed to be the centre of attention without trying. He just loved the craic. He brought life and soul to the party, and almost everybody in the area knew him. He was really sociable, and it wasn’t unknown for him to frequent the village pub.

“My Dad took everything at face value. When he received the news that he had pancreatic cancer, he called me at work and broke the news. I then phoned my brother and sister. Dad took it as it was – he just accepted it. At this time, my Mum was down in Glasgow, having just had open heart surgery, so it was up to me and my brother and sister to be there for Dad. It all happened so quickly.”

Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest of all common cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than eight per cent. Each year over 900 people in Scotland are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Around 26 people die from pancreatic cancer every day in the UK. With early diagnosis, pancreatic cancer can be survived.

Pancreatic Cancer Action Scotland is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and funding research into early detection and treatment. To find out more about our work, visit our website at www.panact.org

Lachlan's fundraising page can be found via https://pancreaticcanceraction.org/news/lachlan-dean-morrice/

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