A HEROIC Tottington mother is taking the fight to one of the UK's biggest cancer killers.

Suzanne Merrick, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May 2016, raised £5,100 for Pancreatic Cancer UK with friends and family with a charity ball at The Village Hotel in Bury on November 18.

The mother of three and wife to Mark Merrick, first noticed that something was wrong when she developed irritation on her hands and feet, which gradually became unbearable.

As her symptoms worsened she was affected by jaundice, often one of the first symptoms of pancreatic cancer, turning her yellow almost over night.

Mrs Merrick, aged 47, said: "In the space of a bank holiday weekend I went from being normal, fit and well to being diagnosed with a terminal illness. My world fell apart."

"If it hadn’t have been for the fantastic research that Pancreatic Cancer UK have been doing I might not be here."

Initially told her tumour, which was wrapped around a main artery, was inoperable; Mrs Merrick underwent three months of one of the strongest forms of chemotherapy, resulting in her tumour shrinking enough to be removed.

Mrs Merrick had another six month course of successful chemotherapy from February this year, to “mop up” anything left behind, and was signed off from The Christie on September 13, moving under the care of Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Merrick said: "I'm overwhelmed with everyone's generosity, and everyone I spoke to about the ball seems to have had a fabulous evening.

"We'd like to do it again, but in a couple of years, so I hope people will all join us then.

"Thanks again to everyone as you all made the evening a huge success.

"The night was about raising funds but also about raising awareness."

Pancreatic Cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK resulting in 8,800 related deaths each year, or more than 24 a day.

Mrs Merrick said: "Until I was diagnosed, myself, my friends and family weren't really aware of pancreatic cancer.

"But it is one of the biggest killers, because when you are diagnosed it is usually already stage three or four.

"Only around six per cent of people get past the five year mark because the likelihood of the cancer recurring is very high."

The ball had been devised by Mrs Merrick and several of her friends for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month while on a spa day at the Village Hotel earlier this year.

110 people attended the ball which included a raffle and auction, with items including a signed football by the Manchester United Team, a signed Manchester City Football Club shirt, and a signed Courteeners poster.

Sarah King, Mrs Merrick's friend who co-organised the event, said she was delighted with the amount raised, adding: "When we decided to do this months ago we didn't think we would be able to pull it off, but it was a really nice celebration of Suzanne.

"We thought that we would raise about £3,000, this has been just brilliant, everyone was so generous on the evening, and everybody has been so kind."

For last year's the awareness month Mrs Merrick held a coffee morning raising £720 for Pancreatic Cancer UK, and her daughter Phoebe also raised more £3,000 for Cancer Research when she ran in the 2016 Pretty Muddy 5k.