Hospital association and city of Bocholt raise awareness of dangerous type of cancer

Purple lights at Bocholt's historic town hall

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadliest cancers, but there is often a lack of awareness of the importance of early detection and specialised treatment. On 21 November, International Pancreatic Cancer Day, the historic town hall in Bocholt will be lit up in bright purple from 18:00 to 22:00.

With this impressive campaign, Klinikum Westmünsterland, in particular the Pancreas Centre at St. Agnes-Hospital Bocholt, aims to raise public awareness of the issue.

The Westmünsterland Pancreas Centre is the only centre for pancreatic cancer in the region certified by the German Cancer Society (DKG). Under the direction of the two head physicians Dr Ludger Wiemer (responsible for diagnostics and complex interventional endoscopy) and PD Dr Torsten Überrück (responsible for surgical therapy, including robotic operations), the centre offers a comprehensive range of care for people with pancreatic diseases. With state-of-the-art diagnostics and an interdisciplinary team of experts, the centre ensures highly qualified care - from early detection and medical-oncological therapy to surgery and aftercare.

The purple illumination of the town hall is a visible sign that we are fighting this cancer together.

Thomas Kerkhoff, Mayor of the City of Bocholt

"Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that is often only discovered at an advanced stage", explains Dr Wiemer, Head of the Westmünsterland Pancreas Centre. "This is what makes it so dangerous. Early detection is therefore of crucial importance, and only in specialised centres like ours can the necessary treatment be provided at the highest level."

The campaign is also supported by the city of Bocholt. Mayor Thomas Kerkhoff emphasises the close cooperation between the city and the clinic: "The commitment of Klinikum Westmünsterland deserves the greatest recognition. Especially when it comes to serious illnesses such as pancreatic cancer, it is important that we can count on a specialised facility like the Pancreas Centre in our region", says Kerkhoff. "The purple illumination of the town hall is a visible sign that we are fighting this cancer together."

Social media question time on 4 December

In addition to the illumination campaign, Klinikum Westmünsterland is offering further information on World Pancreatic Cancer Day. On 4 December, for example, the two experts from the Pancreas Centre will explain the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options in an interactive social media Q&A session.

World Pancreatic Cancer Day aims to draw attention to the fact that pancreatic cancer can be detected and treated early if certain warning signs and risk factors are known. Dr Wiemer, PD Dr Überrück and their team work closely with other specialists and specialist departments, cooperation partners at the other hospital sites, oncology practices as well as social workers, specially trained nursing staff, inpatient oncologists, nutritional therapists, psycho-oncologists and many others to ensure patients receive the best possible care.

Thanks to the combination of many years of experience, state-of-the-art medical technology and comprehensive support for patients, the Westmünsterland Pancreas Centre sets a high standard that is recognised far beyond the region. In the field of surgical therapy, PD Dr Überrück and his team have also been able to offer robotic interventions with the so-called daVinci robot for some time now. Members of the public are cordially invited to experience the purple lighting at the town hall and find out more about the topic.