Carmel noticed her husband Gerry suffering from ongoing, persistent heartburn at the time she was expecting a baby and recognised that Gerry was using more antacids than she needed herself. Carmel thought something must be up and encouraged Gerry to see his GP. He was referred for an endoscopy and received a diagnosis of the pre-cancerous condition Barrett’s Oesophagus. Once diagnosed, Gerry was added to the National Barrett’s Registry which is funded by the Oesophageal Cancer Fund’s fundraising efforts. Through this programme, Gerry’s condition was monitored regularly.
Although many people with Barrett’s Oesophagus do not go on to develop cancer, it can increase the risk of Oesophageal Cancer developing.
Unfortunately for Gerry, he did develop Oesophageal Cancer but thanks to regular monitoring and screening, Gerry’s cancer was identified early.