Throughout 2021, in tribute to our Aviva colleagues Paula Goody and Paul Routledge, we are raising funds to support those affected by Pancreatic Cancer.  

In the summer of 2019, our colleague and dear friend Paul (Rutty) was told he had Pancreatic cancer. As is the case for many who have this disease, it had crept up on him without warning. By the time he found out it was already inoperable and incurable. He was told he had limited time.

Sadly, this was not an unfamiliar story for us. In 2015, our colleague and beautiful friend, Paula was told she had Pancreatic cancer. It had developed without any signs and Paula only discovered her condition when it was too late.

Heartbreakingly, despite their incredible resilience, determination and effort to beat this horrible disease, we lost Paula in December 2015 and we lost Rutty in December 2020. 

Paula, a proud Essex girl and Paul, a proud Scouser, worked at Aviva for many years and did similar roles. There were other similarities, along with their name, they were admired by their colleagues and brokers for brilliance at their job and much loved for their warmth, passion and sense of fun. Both were always at the centre of any mischief and the life and soul of the party. Our strongest memories will be of the smiles and laughter we all shared. 

They were both wonderful people and were taken from their families and friends too soon, as many are by this terrible disease. We are therefore raising money for Pancreatic Cancer UK in tribute to Paula and Paul, honouring their memories and to show their family and friends how much they meant to us. 

Pancreatic Cancer sneaks up on people revealing very few symptoms until, in most cases it is too late. In its advanced stage it is the toughest cancer to treat. This was the case for both Paula and Paul. For many cancers, huge improvements to survival rates have been made through early diagnosis and effective treatments but for Pancreatic Cancer the survival rate remains stubbornly low. This is what Pancreatic Cancer UK is working to try and improve.  

Paula and Paul would have been the first to get themselves involved and embraced the challenge with passion and a sense of fun. We hope you will too. 

We will be sharing details of all the fundraising activities via this page, including large scale group events and smaller individual challenges. We would be hugely grateful for any support, donation or sponsorship to help us hit our target of £30,000.  

As Aviva employees, we also benefit from a £matching scheme so by sponsoring any Aviva team member you’d be helping us boost our funds even more.

From all of us, thank you so much for your support, it means so much. 

#teamgoody #teamrutty #teampaula&paul