Douglas Snooker Club will change colour on Saturday as part of a night of entertainment to raise awareness of a little-known disease.
The clubhouse, along with the Tower of Refuge, is taking part in the ‘Purple lights for hope’ campaign for pancreatic cancer awareness month which is lighting up buildings around the UK in November.
The initiative has come to the island thanks to the wife of much-missed Douglas man John Dale. The father of three passed away in July, aged 65, after being diagnosed with the disease. While receiving treatment John was able to raise hundreds of pounds for the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK.
John’s wife Ann has pledged to continue his work with fundraising events and an information stand that will be present at Noble’s Hospital for two weeks in November.
Saturday’s event, taking place at Douglas Snooker Club on Ballaquayle Road from 7.30pm, will include live music, karaoke, a photo booth and a raffle with a host of top prizes. Tickets costing £2.50 each can be bought on the door and will be put into a draw for a meal for two at the Palace Hotel.
From November 5 and for the remainder of the month, the Tower of Refuge in Douglas bay will also turn purple for the cause.
Mrs Dale said: ‘Until it touched our lives we’d never even heard of pancreatic cancer. It’s a silent cancer as there are only very small indications that something might be wrong until it’s too late.
‘Hopefully we can raise some awareness for the condition,’ she said. ‘If it helps even one person then it’s got to be a good thing. And John would be absolutely delighted that this was happening.’
She paid tribute to her husband’s efforts to help other sufferers of pancreatic cancer. She said: ‘He went on a research trial at Royal Liverpool Hospital, even though he knew his case was terminal, because he wanted to help other people in the future.
‘He was someone who always wanted to help people and put back into the community, so I know he would be behind all this 100 per cent.
‘Saturday will be a fun night, hopefully we will raise a lot of money and awareness.’