A brave father who received a devastating stage four cancer diagnosis after struggling to eat a sandwich at work has now been told he has only six months left to live, reports The Mirror.
Des Longstaff, 40, from Blackpool, has been battling a particularly aggressive type of oesophageal adenocarcinoma that spread from his oesophagus to his liver. With treatment now halted, Des is sharing his journey one final time to help raise awareness about this unforgiving disease.
Earlier this year, Des’s story captured public attention when he revealed how difficulty eating a sandwich led to his life-changing diagnosis, reports The Mirror.
Providing an emotional health update, he told the Mirror: “I have about six months to live. I was told yesterday. I have had a tough life and I genuinely would do anything for anyone. I am still trying to help people out now. I don’t feel poorly. But I won’t be having any more treatments.
“I am ready for death now. I hope that people can still donate to my son’s GoFundMe so he can get his life together without this daddy who loves him so very much. I fought for him until the day I died I suppose,” reports The Mirror.
“I’m sorry I let everyone down but thank you so much for the support. I hope you all remember me this way,” reports The Mirror.
Oesophageal cancer affects the tube that connects the throat to the stomach and most commonly impacts men aged in their 60s and 70s, as outlined by the HSE.
Typical symptoms can include trouble swallowing, indigestion, appetite and weight loss, pain in the upper abdomen, chest or back, and vomiting food shortly after eating, reports The Mirror.
Des, who works as a landscape gardener, first realised something was wrong while he was on the job.
In a previous interview with Reach PLC, he shared: “I am a landscaper by trade and I was doing a job for one of my friends and his partner had made me a bacon and sausage sandwich. When I was eating it – I hadn’t put any sauce on or anything – it sort of got lodged in my oesophagus and I had a good pint of water but it still wouldn’t budge, reports The Mirror.
“It was to the point where you’re thinking you’re choking. I thought to myself, ‘Am I not chewing it properly?”, reports The Mirror.
Following this frightening incident, Des sought medical advice and was advised to undergo an endoscopy – but before it could happen, he began vomiting blood and noticed blood in his stool.
He was admitted to hospital where, on Christmas Eve, a 35cm tumour was discovered in the lower part of his oesophagus.
Doctors had initially hoped that keyhole surgery might remove the tumour, but further scans revealed it had already spread to his liver. Stage four oesophageal adenocarcinoma, which involves cancer spreading beyond the oesophagus, is generally incurable, according to Cancer Research UK, reports The Mirror.
Des had been fundraising for a trip to Germany to pursue alternative treatments, determined to see his five-year-old son grow up – but has now learned his condition is too advanced for further intervention.
He spoke about the grueling toll of his earlier treatment, describing how both chemotherapy and immunotherapy left him feeling “more sick than the cancer”, reports The Mirror.
Des also opened up about ongoing personal challenges beyond his illness, which he believes had a negative impact on his health. Reflecting on it all, he said simply: “I’ve been through hell.”
In a touching recent social media post, he wrote: “The king and the little prince. He’s going to be the king. He will do it better than I. My spirit will live in him always. My love of life he is,” reports The Mirror.
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