The pancreatic cancer trust, initiated in October 2008, shall raise awareness about the commonly unknown disease that leaves its victims with a very low chance of survival.

Mrs. Tracey Reynolds came up with the trust that carries the symbol of a blue butterfly after her mother passed away after being diagnosed with the mostly lethal cancer type, two years ago.

Reynolds points out: "There is a 3 to 5 percent survival rate. It's pretty much the only one now that is still a death sentence - there has been no change in that in the past 30 to 40 years. It's often very quick, Mum was given two months and survived nine months - but she was stubborn".

The fund mainly aims to support research on the disease in order to find better treatment methods or even a cure for the cancer type. People should further receive information on the disease through the fund and victims should find support among each other.

The cancer type does not allow any preventive measures yet as cancer cells cannot be discovered in the victim's blood cells. "In 2007 there were just under 500 people diagnosed in New Zealand and just about the same number passed away".

Mr. Reynolds mother was diagnosed after an MRI but the cancer has already been in a highly advanced stage. The trust founder hopes to find better prevention and treatment ways to be discovered in the near future and launches a fundraising dinner in the beginning of next year to gather research money.