Angela's Giving Page

My Story

My partner and soulmate, Darren, passed away in April this year within a few weeks of being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer which had spread to other organs. He was only 50 years old.It started at the beginning of the year when he was having trouble swallowing food and his breathing didn't feel right. It took many trips to the GP before they would take him seriously and send him for tests. It then also took a long time to get tests done at the hospital and for results and the correct diagnosis to come through by which time it was too far advanced to cure or remove.He had a 17cm long tumour in his oesophagus and enlarged lymph nodes in his lungs and some other areas. He had a persistent chest infection and was still having trouble breathing despite taking several courses of antibiotics which lead us to believe that it had spread to his lungs.He was put on a small amount of oxygen while in hospital and stronger antibiotics. They attempted to fit a stent in his oesphagus to enable him to eat as he was getting physically weaker but the tumour was too long and friable that the stent just slipped down into his stomach. He was made aware before the operation that as his lungs weren't in great condition they might not recover from being on a ventilator while sedated. Unfortunately this did happen and he was put on 90% oxygen after the failed operation and was still struggling to breathe. He could barely move from bed to chair and was so uncomfortable that he couldn't sleep. He insisted that the doctors continue to give him antibiotics and nebulisers to try to remove fluid from his lungs despite the doctors telling him that there was nothing more they could do for him. He fought until the very end and passed away holding my hand while sat in a chair on the nebuliser waiting for his consultant to come and see him. All he wanted was to live and go home with me and the kids.I was with him all day every single day and the hospital even allowed me to stay with him overnight in his last few days.More research is needed into oesophageal cancer to enable early detection and treatment so that others don't have to go through such a terrible ordeal.