Seth Goodburn was a kind, loving, considerate, vibrant, curious man who had the most wonderful sense of humour and who was innately funny. He was a quiet unassuming man who was hugely significant in all the lives he touched, he had simple tastes and he lived and loved life to the full.
Aged 49 he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and up until two weeks before diagnosis he displayed no signs or symptoms of the disease apart from feeling slightly lethargic.
Seth died just thirty three short and heart-breaking days after his diagnosis leaving behind his beloved wife Lesley.
Seth asked Lesley to share the story of their journey through terminal pancreatic cancer so that it might help others in the future. He wanted to improve the awareness of the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, help people who have a late terminal diagnosis to come to terms with the dreadful news, help improve the experiences of people diagnosed with cancer and to raise awareness and debate about compassionate person centred care when approaching end of life.
Lesley has worked over the last two years to progress the work in each of these areas and she has committed to raise £49,000 which is £1,000 for each year of Seth’s life. She has raised funds through trekking the Great Wall of China, designing Emma Bridgewater Limited Edition Pancreatic Cancer UK charity mugs, doing flash mobs and organising a charity ball. She has also shared her story with local GPs to raise awareness of signs and symptoms, is working as part of the NICE committee developing guidance for pancreatic cancer, she has set up the Purple Rainbow Support Group to help people affected by the disease in Staffordshire. She has also worked with the National Council for Palliative Care to turn Seth’s and her story into a play, a film and an educational resource (see Homeward Bound) about compassionate care to help people especially healthcare professionals reflect on their practice when caring for people who are dying.
Lesley is committed to creating a legacy in Seth’s name, a legacy that will help others and ensure that something positive comes from the most heart-breaking and devastating experience of her life, losing her adorable husband Seth.
October 1964 – June 2014
The living thinking me that was
Is now forever still
And life goes on without me
As time forever will
