Retford: Town hall lit up in purple for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Other buildings across the country joined in with the national campaign including the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth and the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle.

The idea to paint Retford purple came from Lucy Anthony and her niece Holly Staples, who secured permission to light up the town hall, as part of the global campaign to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer.

On the night the pair dressed in purple t-shirts and wigs.

After the light up, Lucy and Holly served tea and cakes in the Buttermarket, Retford.

Lucy’s father, Ray Seymour, 73, from Retford, died on 19th August, just two months after going to his doctor complaining of pain.

Lucy said: “Unfortunately because of my dad’s late diagnosis, which is usually the case with pancreatic cancer, it was too late for any surgery to be performed, and, as it turned out, his decline was so rapid, that he was too weak to have any chemotherapy treatment.”

“Pancreatic cancer was not something that we had heard of before dad’s diagnosis.”

To carry on with their campaign, Lucy and Holly have been asking businesses in Retford to put up posters in their shop windows for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

They have also been on the radio to make sure their message is heard.