- .Kerry Harvey died on Saturday morning, less than a year after her diagnosis
- .Starred in the latest Pancreatic Cancer Action campaign to raise awareness
- .Was diagnosed with the disease after suffering from stomach pains
- .Had visited doctors repeatedly as pain worsened and she was given diagnoses ranging from a suspected miscarriage to stomach ulcers
- .Miss Harvey was suffering with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour, the same cancer that killed Apple founder Steve Jobs
- .Her husband Matthew Biggins said today he is 'devastated' at her deatha
- .He is continuing her campaign to get people to sign an online petition to get MPs to debate the funding that goes towards pancreatic cancer
A brave young woman who was the face of the latest pancreatic cancer awareness campaign has died from the disease aged just 24.
Kerry Harvey, from Chichester, West Sussex, passed away on Saturday morning, her family said.
In the weeks before her death she had told her story on national TV to try and raise awareness of the brutal disease that has just a three per cent survival rate after five years.
Tragedy: Kerry Harvey, who was the face of the latest controversial pancreatic cancer awareness campaign, has died from the disease aged just 24
Brave: Miss Harvey, with husband Matt, had been diagnosed with the brutal disease in April 2013, after suffering stomach pains for four months
In many cases, she was defending her decision to front the controversial 'I wish I had breast cancer campaign'.
The idea had been to highlight the poor survival rates of the disease.
Her husband, Matthew Biggins, told ITV News Central this morning he is 'devastated' at her death.
He said: 'Myself and her family are devastated by the loss, but it is also important to us that Kerry's legacy lives on.
'She did so much to raise awareness for this terrible illness and has brought global attention to a cancer that receives just 1 per cent of national funding.
He is continuing her campaign to get people to sign an online petition to get MPs to debate the funding that goes towards pancreatic cancer.
Sadness: Miss Harvey passed away on Saturday morning, her family said. In the weeks before her death she had told her story on national TV to try and raise awareness of pancreatic cancer's poor survival rate
Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of just three per cent - compared to 85 per cent of breast cancer patients and 97 per cent of men with testicular cancer.
In the TV ad, genuine pancreatic cancer patients including Miss Harvey are seen saying 'I wish I had testicular cancer' and 'I wish I had breast cancer' as information about symptoms and survival rates appears on the screen.
But speaking last month after the the ad sparked controversy, Miss Harvey was adamant she had no regrets about appearing in the shock campaign.
Fighting: Miss Harvey appeared on This Morning two weeks ago to discuss the controversial campaign
She said: ‘I know I upset a lot of people by saying what I did, but it’s true. If I had breast cancer rather than pancreatic cancer, it is almost certain I wouldn’t now be dying. Instead I’ve been told I’ve only got four to five months to live.
‘Hopefully the campaign will lead to more money being spent on research into pancreatic cancer. It won’t help me, but I hope it will mean others will have a better chance than I have.’
And appearing on This Morning just two weeks ago, Miss Harvey told hostsPhillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: 'Of course I wish I had one [a cancer] with a better survival rate. I have tumours in my breast, my arm, my head.
Prognosis: Miss Harvey told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: 'Of course I wish I had a cancer with a better survival rate. I have tumours in my breast, my arm, my head'
'I was sad to read some of the reactions to the campaign. I was never saying that breast cancer patients have it easier - all I was saying was that they have a better chance of survival.'
In a statement, Ali Stunt, CEO, Pancreatic Cancer Action, said: 'We were deeply saddened to hear the news that the beautiful and inspiring Kerry Harvey passed away, aged 24, on the morning of Saturday 22nd February.
'She was a brave and courageous young woman who touched so many hearts with her determination to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer despite being very ill herself.
THE 'SHOCK' CAMPAIGN THAT SPARKED NATIONWIDE DEBATE
The Pancreatic Cancer Action campaign saw three real pancreatic cancer patients say 'I wish I had breast cancer' or 'I wish I had testicular cancer'.
The idea behind the advert was to increase awareness about the terrible survival rates associated with the disease.
But it sparked national debate between those who understood the charity's plight - and others who felt more common cancers were being glamourised.
TV presenter Gloria Hunniford, whose daughter Caron Keating died of breast cancer, denounced the campaign, saying it had made her feel ‘almost sick’.
Chris Askew, Chief Executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, added: 'We strongly dispute any message which suggests that one type of cancer is preferable to another.
Former cancer patient and broadcaster Jenni Murray agreed that the charity's shock tactics had worked
'We believe Pancreatic Cancer Action’s recent campaign does just this. I’ve yet to meet a man or woman with breast cancer who would consider themselves in any way fortunate to have received a diagnosis.
'It’s utterly misleading to imply that breast cancer is a more desirable form of the disease.'
Many took to Twitter to express their disgust at the advert, yet many others were sympathetic and supportive of the campaign.
The journalist Jenni Murray, who herself had breast cancer, says she was angry when she first saw the campaign but that she came to change her mind.
She said: 'But after more sober reflection, I can understand why Pancreatic Cancer Action wanted to produce such a controversial advert.
'For many of those who have this form of the disease, it must seem that pancreatic cancer is the poor relation in the fiercely competitive cancer-funding game.
'There's no getting away from the facts: of the 8,500 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer annually, only 3 per cent have a chance of surviving for five years.
'The chances of those with breast cancer (50,000 women and around 400 men are diagnosed with it each year) are far higher: 85 per cent will live for at least five years.
'That's why, as I continued to look at the “I wish I had breast cancer” advert, I no longer felt remotely angry with Pancreatic Cancer Action and its deliberate attempt to shock. Shock tactics work.'
'Since her diagnosis in April 2013, she devoted a significant amount of her own time trying to raise the profile of the disease that she, like many other pancreatic cancer patients, had not heard of before her diagnosis.
'Kerry campaigned with selfless vigour and, despite facing criticism, wanted to help others by encouraging earlier diagnosis and attract more funds for research. She said herself, "some people have to shout louder and I’m on my rooftop with a megaphone".
'We are so grateful to her contribution to our awareness campaign. Her strength and fortitude we and other pancreatic cancer sufferers, their families and friends are very grateful for.
'Our thoughts are now with her husband Matt and all of her family and friends at this difficult time.'
Symptoms: Miss Harvey, with Matt, started developing pains in her abdomen last December 2012. At first she thought the pains were just harmless stomach cramps
Every day in the UK, 23 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and average life expectancy is less than six months.
Miss Harvey began suffering from acute stomach pains in November 2012. It took five A&E visits spread over four months before doctors confirmed pancreatic cancer in February last year.
She was eventually diagnosed with stage four cancer, it had spread to her liver and bones and doctors said there was little they could do for her.
In November, doctors told her to focus on palliative care rather than further treatment. She said: ‘I’ve received so much support from Pancreatic Cancer Action so I didn’t hesitate when they asked me to join the campaign.'
Happier times: Miss Harvey (pictured with her family on her her 21st birthday two years ago) did not have a strong history of cancer in the family
Last year Miss Harvey told MailOnline that she started developing pains in her abdomen in December 2012.
'They started quite gradually and to be honest, I thought they were women's problems as I tend to get cramps every month.'
But the pain continued to worsen and spread upwards towards the left side of her ribcage.
Eventually, at the beginning of January, the pain became so unbearable she visited the A&E department at the hospital she worked in.
Shameful: It took five A&E visits over four months for doctors to diagnose her with pancreatic cancer
'Doctors examined me and didn't seem to worried although they said I should go to the Women and Children's Unit for an internal ultrasound to check everything was okay with my ovaries,' said Miss Harvey, who had worked as a hospital administrator at St Richard's Hospital.
'They just sent me home with painkillers.'
PANCREATIC CANCER: THE FACTS
The pancreas is a gland situated behind the stomach, where the ribs meet at the bottom of your breastbone.
It produces digestive enzymes that help to break down food and a hormone known as insulin to control blood sugar levels.
Pancreatic cancer affects around 8,000 Britons a year.
It is the ninth most common cancer in the UK, more common in people over 60 and not usually found in people under 40 years of age.
Approximately 65 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas are over 70. Men tend to be more affected than women.
Symptoms usually include pain, jaundice, weight loss, diabetes and nausea.
Surgery to remove the tumour is usually the only way to completely cure pancreatic cancer, but this is a suitable treatment for only around 15 to 20 per cent of patients.
When she had the ultrasound the following week, doctors said that they could see nothing sinister and suggested that the pain was being caused by polycystic ovaries or that she had maybe experienced a miscarriage.
She was this time given stronger Tramadol painkillers and told to go back to the doctors if the pain still did not improve within two weeks.
The pain continued to worsen and Kerry then began to lose her appetite.
In addition to this she developed intensely itchy skin that became so unbearable that she would sometimes wake in the morning covered in cuts.
It wasn't until five months after her symptoms began that she was finally diagnosed.
'I woke up screaming and crying because the pain was absolutely horrific,' she said. 'I was rushed to hospital at 7am where I was given morphine to reduce the pain.'
She was immediately given an ultrasound and when staff looked at the image they immediately summoned a doctor to review what they could see.
'They told me I was going to need a CT scan and I asked when that would be.
'When they said they were doing it immediately I knew something was very wrong - working in a hospital you know that means they think it might be cancer.'
The CT scan finally revealed that she was suffering with cancer but because her liver was so enlarged they did not know where the cancer was originating from.
Because he liver was so swollen, they initially thought it may be liver cancer, but a liver biopsy eventually revealed that it was the pancreas the liver was obscuring that was diseased.
Miss Harvey was suffering with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour, the same cancer that killed Apple founder Steve Jobs.
They also discovered that the cancer was so advanced - stage four - that it had spread to her liver and several bones.
'I couldn't believe it when I found out - this wasn't part of my plan. I was young, had a good job, had a boyfriend and always thought I was going to marry and have children.
'I'd already known two people who had developed cancer - I'd had my dose of knowing what it was like.'
She was immediately given chemotherapy but she didn't qualify for surgery to remove the tumours growing on her organs because the cancer was so advanced.
Soon after she was referred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham to undergo further palliative treatment so she could be closer to her mother and father who live in the city.
Stoical: Speaking last year, Miss Harvey said she was not bitter about her diagnosis
Miss Harvey's case was incredibly rare and she was not angry at the late diagnosis she was given.
She said: 'My consultant has specialised in pancreatic cancer for 30 years and he has never met any one as young as me with the disease.
'The youngest person I've since met with the cancer is 37 and every time a doctor discovers I have it they say "Really?!"'
She had no history of the disease in her family and apart from genes, heavy smoking and drinking is usually cited as the main cause of the cancer.
'It doesn't really make sense for me though as I've never smoked and if I had two glasses of wine in a week it was a treat,' she said.
She added: 'You just can't be bitter about these things. It wasn't part of my life plan but you just have to get on with it, don't you.'
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