A Hull grandma has spoken out about her battle with "silent killer" pancreatic cancer, as recent figures show deaths from the disease in our region are on the rise. June Simpson, 57, from Orchard Park was diagnosed in 2011 with stage four pancreatic cancer and says she is lucky to be alive. "I first started getting indigestion and pain in my stomach, and went to the doctor, but he told me that it was nothing," said Mrs Simpson. "I didn't think anything of it until I got a frozen shoulder - I went get it checked out, and the nurse found two lumps on my neck. "After getting a CT scan, the hospital diagnosed me with pancreatic cancer, and told me that I also had secondary cancer in my lymph nodes. "To be told that I had cancer was unbelievable and so horrible - my granddaughter was four at the time and I really didn't think I would see her fifth birthday. "The cancer was very advanced and I had a lot of intensive chemotherapy to try and get better, but I could tell that the hospital … [Read more...] about Woman told she has ‘silent killer’
Silent killers
KISS OF DEATH: Relative of bed bugs in Spain can KILL humans thanks to spread of ‘silent killer’ disease from South America
A BREED of bugs is on the rise in Europe and the US and it’s transmitting a ‘silent killer’ disease. Known as ‘chinches del beso’ – or kiss bug – this relative of the bed bug bites humans on the face and in the areas around the mouth. It then defecates next to its bite, spreading a parasitic disease which was until recently limited to South America. Chagas disease can cause serious cardiac and intestinal complications – and most people infected don’t know they have it as there can be little to no symptoms. Labelled a ‘silent killer’, one in three with Chagas develop heart problems, may suffer heart failure and even sudden death if they are not diagnosed in time. According to a new statement by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Inter-American Cardiology Society, the disease is spreading through the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe. The kissing bugs have appeared in the southern states of the US and … [Read more...] about KISS OF DEATH: Relative of bed bugs in Spain can KILL humans thanks to spread of ‘silent killer’ disease from South America
KISS OF DEATH: Bed bugs in Spain can KILL humans thanks to spread of ‘silent killer’ disease from South America
A BREED of bed bugs is on the rise in Europe and the US and it’s transmitting a ‘silent killer’ disease. Known as ‘chinches del beso’ – or kiss bug – this particular bed bug bites humans on the face and in the areas around the mouth. It then defecates next to its bite, spreading a parasitic disease which was until recently limited to South America. Chagas disease can cause serious cardiac and intestinal complications – and most people infected don’t know they have it as there can be little to no symptoms. Labelled a ‘silent killer’, one in three with Chagas develop heart problems, may suffer heart failure and even sudden death if they are not diagnosed in time. According to a new statement by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Inter-American Cardiology Society, the disease is spreading through the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe. Bed bugs have appeared in the southern states of the US and in Spain … [Read more...] about KISS OF DEATH: Bed bugs in Spain can KILL humans thanks to spread of ‘silent killer’ disease from South America
Heat is a silent killer and summer heatwaves may become the norm due to climate change
EVERYONE has been affected by the extremely hot weather in the UK this summer. Our parks, gardens and verges are scorched brown. Brooms Barn in Suffolk has gone for more than 50 days without any rain at all. Wildfires have devastated Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill, and fish have had to be moved by the Environment Agency from rivers as they dry up. There have been hosepipe bans in the North-west of England, while Scotland may have recorded its highest ever temperature of 33.2ºC in Motherwell. It’s not just the UK that is being affected. Japan has seen its highest ever temperatures, causing many deaths. Meanwhile devastating fires with tragic consequences have been raging in Greece and California. The heat will undoubtedly have contributed to some deaths in the UK too. Heat is a silent killer, and the old, frail and very young are the most vulnerable to it. We won’t know for several months how many heat-related deaths there have been this summer, but in the … [Read more...] about Heat is a silent killer and summer heatwaves may become the norm due to climate change
What is sepsis? A closer look at the ‘silent killer’
Nurses and health care professionals are being urged to look out for signs of a condition which is killing 44,000 people in Britain every year. Every year, there are an average of 150,000 cases of sepsis in the UK, resulting in 44,000 deaths - more than bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined. Sepsis is a serious complication of an infection, where the immune system goes into overdrive, often leading to organ failure and death. Without an early diagnosis, it can be extremely difficult to treat. Here, we take a look at the symptoms in both children and adults, as well as looking at the latest What is sepsis? Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can follow an infection. It happens when the body fights germs by attacking its own organs, leading to shock and rapid organ failure. Dubbed the ‘silent killer’, it can affect any age and is said to lead to 44,000 deaths in the UK each year - more than bowel, breast and prostrate cancer combined. What are the symptoms? The … [Read more...] about What is sepsis? A closer look at the ‘silent killer’