Beyond Paradise star admits 'it was too late' as husband died of cancer 6 weeks after diagnosis

Beyond Paradise star Barbara Flynn has spoken out about the devastating loss of her husband, Jeremy Taylor, to pancreatic cancer, revealing he died just six weeks after his diagnosis. In a heartfelt chat with Reach PLC, Barbara, who now champions Pancreatic Cancer UK, shared her personal tragedy to shed light on the brutal impact of the disease.

Barbara and Jeremy's love story began at a Camden Town bash in north London, leading to their marriage in 1982 and the birth of their son Linus in 1990.

Tragically, Jeremy's life was cut short in July 2017, a mere six weeks post-diagnosis. Opening up about her drive to support Pancreatic Cancer UK, Barbara said: "A lot of people who are involved with pancreatic cancer have had a personal experience with this dreaded disease, and that's how I became involved."

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She recounted the stealthy nature of the illness that claimed her husband: "My husband was diagnosed in 2017 very late, and the symptoms are quite asymptomatic. That's the trouble. He always had bad indigestion, but actually, that was how we discovered where he was, and he was very, very far along with the disease."

Highlighting the grim reality many face, Barbara added: "This is the main problem that people do not survive, and the research is limited because of that, and in a way, it is a death sentence," reports .

Reflecting on the challenges of rallying support from those affected, she concluded: "You know, people don't necessarily want to spend their remaining time helping, do you know what I mean? It is a difficult situation.

"He [Jeremy] would have, but he only had six weeks, unfortunately, which was very, very cruel. He didn't know an awful lot about the disease because he was a science writer and had made very, very many horizons and was scientifically pretty adept.

"So he did know, and he was a very generous man and, therefore, would have shared everything."

Barbara revealed that her late husband, Jeremy, spent considerable time discussing his condition with Naureen Starling, a doctor at the hospital where he received care.

"She couldn't help him, unfortunately, because it was too late," Barbara said. "Any kind of intervention would have killed him. So, no chemo, no nothing, which was devastating for him and for us."

Since losing Jeremy, Barbara has joined forces with Pancreatic Cancer UK, taking on the ambassador role to champion the cause. With the London Marathon on the horizon, the charity has orchestrated a poignant campaign to spotlight this brutal illness and call for more funding for early detection research.

Pancreatic Cancer UK has launched the Shoes of Hope installation by the River Thames, a moving tribute that coincides with the London Marathon, demanding government action for early diagnosis initiatives.

Set in Potters Fields Park, the exhibit showcases 797 pairs of running shoes, contributed by celebrities, survivors, grieving families, and supporters, including footwear from individuals who succumbed to the disease.

Each pair symbolises the number of individuals in the UK who lose their battle with pancreatic cancer each month.

Barbara expressed her hopes, saying, "We just hope that everyone can embrace this amazing, great race that happens. Because we're honoured to be affiliated with the marathon, and we hope to save as many people as are running in that race."

She added poignantly, "That is a wonderful thing to think about, that these shoes are indicating that's the number of people who die every month."