February is oesophageal cancer awareness month and this PRII member is asking for your help to raise awareness, sell lollipops and save lives
February is Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re highlighting an important message from PRII Fellow and CEO of the Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF), Carmel Doyle, who is urging all PRII members to help raise awareness of the symptoms of oesophageal cancer and support life‑saving research through the OCF’s annual Lollipop Campaign.
Dear Member
As the CEO of the Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF), I’m urging you to know the symptoms of oesophageal cancer, including persistent heartburn and difficulty swallowing food, and to seek medical advice early if symptoms persist. Knowledge is power, and we shouldn’t be afraid to go to the doctor with any concerns.
Unfortunately, the number of people coming to our patient support meetings, saying they were suffering from heartburn for years before they went to the doctor, is still too high. Of course, they are the lucky ones. Somehow, despite their complacency, their cancer was diagnosed early enough, their oesophagus (gullet) removed, stomach pulled up, and they survived. Oesophageal cancer is in the top six worldwide for cancer mortality, with a 25% survival rate beyond 5 years in Ireland, and it is on the increase.
The good news is that Ireland is recognised internationally for excellence in the clinical management of this cancer and in associated scientific research. Survival rates have improved significantly, with cure rates doubling over the past 25 years. However, we still have a long way to go.
Our OCF patron and professional golfer Padraig Harrington echoes this sentiment of being proactive about y/our gut health, saying: “My dad passed away from oesophageal cancer over 20 years ago. He was very fit and strong, so it came as a huge shock. On average, people wait around three months before seeking medical advice, and that delay can make a real difference. If you’re experiencing symptoms like difficulty swallowing food, a persistent cough, heartburn or hiccups, I would urge you to get them checked. At the very least, it can give you peace of mind. Knowing the symptoms and acting early really can save lives.”
I come to this from a personal perspective, having encouraged/nagged my husband Gerry to go to our GP in 2006 with his persistent heartburn, and it took me a while to persuade him. He was diagnosed with a condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus, which can be a precursor to oesophageal cancer. From then on, his Barrett’s was monitored, and it was through one of those routine scopes that his cancer was picked up early, thankfully. Gerry had his surgery in 2011, nearly 15 years ago, and he is doing grand. Our family received great support from OCF and, and while nobody likes talking about cancer, we do it because it may nudge someone else to go to the doctor early.
Today, in Ireland, around 35,000 people are walking around with Barrett’s, most of them unaware and undiagnosed, possibly ignoring their persistent heartburn, or treating it with antacids or home remedies of biscuits and milk and a dollop of “I’m fine”. At OCF, we don’t want to panic people, particularly as 70% of us suffer from heartburn at some stage. We do, however, want to prompt action where it’s required, and to educate people that persistent, chronic heartburn is not normal and should be checked, and difficulty swallowing food needs an urgent GP visit. We know that if we can get more people diagnosed with Barrett’s in Ireland, we can increase early detection of oesophageal cancer. That is why this little charity has already invested €2.5 million into the establishment of the National Barrett’s Registry and Biobank. And that’s a lot of lollipops! Thankfully, we now have co-funders with Precision Oncology Ireland, but OCF is still committed to a research grant of €456,000 up to 2030.
To support our work in research, patient support and education, we need to sell another 100,000 lollipops this month. We are lucky to have 1,000 wonderful volunteers across the country in schools, clubs and supermarkets, who will be out in force on the 27th and 28th February, so please buy a lollipop for €3 from them. Better still, maybe you can buy a full box of 80 lollipops for €250 and distribute them, with the symptom cards, to your staff and/or clients under your wellbeing programme or on Valentine’s Day – our lollipops are heart-shaped.
Sincerely,
Carmel Doyle, FPRII.
