Business journalist and Irish Times columnist Charlie Fell has told of the devastating manner in which he was told he would die of pancreatic cancer.

Mr Fell said the doctor had an entourage of students with him, when he broke the news, telling Mr Fell while he was by himself.

“The manner in which I was told I would die was a disgrace…No human being should be told on their own that they will probably die of cancer. That happened me….. I was just another number,” Mr Fell said.

Mr Fell (46) told Today with Sean O'Rourke that he initially ignored the symptoms for pancreatic cancer, believing they would go away,

“I was in pain quite a lot around the abdominal area. It was not severe enough to go to the doctor. I thought it would go away,” he said.

Mr Fell said he also ignored the fact he had experienced weight loss, putting it down to stress at work.

“I had more work than at any time pre-financial crisis, but more work brings stress and stress brings weight loss so I wasn’t particularly concerned about it.”

While Mr Fell said his writing days are coming to an end, he is determined to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer, adding pancreatic cancer is not getting the attention it needs.

“My writing days are reaching an end. It’s getting tough to write. I will not give up until I’ve no choice to give up. I’m a fighter.”