WOMEN who have lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer are setting up a support group for others affected by the condition.

Lynda Pain, whose husband David died in October, is among a group of women who are in the process of setting up the first support group of its kind in the country.

She said she hopes to use her own experiences of what she went through to help carers, families and patients in coming to terms with pancreatic cancer as well as those who have lost someone close to them.

Lynda, who lives in Lower Bockhampton near Dorchester, said: “My husband had about 21 months from diagnosis and during that time I would have liked support.

“I got a lot of support from medical people but I wanted support from somebody who could say: ‘I know how you feel’ – somebody at the other end of a phone or to sit down and have a chat with.

“David himself was almost in denial but he would have talked to people had there been some people to talk to.

“At the point of diagnosis I would have liked support and throughout his treatment.”

Audrey Saunders, who lost her granddaughter Gemma at the age of just 27, said that as well as offering support for people there will also be an element of campaigning from the group to promote awareness of the condition.

She said: “Our aim is to make people more aware and get earlier diagnoses for people.

“In my granddaughter’s case with her being a young girl it was just the last thing they thought about.

“The doctor even first told her to go away, eat sensibly and come back in six months.”

Audrey, from Dewlish, added: “We are hoping to be able to give people support in this group, to listen and obviously we understand what they are going through.”

Audrey and Lynda, who are setting up the group with Ginny Thomas from Crawthorne near Dorchester, will be holding the first meeting at Lynda’s home at Hillcrest in Lower Bockhampton on Thursday, March 15 from 11am.

Lynda said the future shape of the group will very much depend on the direction members want to take.

She added: “We have established this will be the first one in the country as a local support group.”

The women are also hoping to raise funds for research into the condition through various events such as Lynda holding an open garden in June and Audrey enlisting the support of West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin for an auction in November.

Anyone who wants to get in touch and find out more about the group can contact Lynda on 01305 267185, Audrey on 01258 837770 or Ginny on 01258 839198.