A father was given just months to live after experiencing an unusual symptom while eating a bacon and sausage sandwich at work.
Des Longstaff, 39, has been diagnosed with advanced stage four oesophageal adenocarcinoma — an aggressive cancer of the food pipe that has spread to his liver. Doctors have told him the disease is terminal, giving him an estimated 12 months to live. Now, the landscape contractor is determined to extend his time with his five-year-old son.
According to Cancer Research UK, this type of cancer is typically incurable. Facing limited options, Des is now seeking alternative treatments in the hope of prolonging his life, reports the Mirror.
Speaking to BristolLive, Des recalled the moment he first noticed something was wrong. “I was working on a landscaping job for a friend when his partner made me a bacon and sausage sandwich,” he said.
“I hadn’t put any sauce on it, and as I was eating, it got stuck in my oesophagus. I drank a pint of water, but it wouldn’t budge. It felt like I was choking.”
Initially, he dismissed it as poor chewing, but growing concerns led him to visit a doctor, who recommended an endoscopy. Before the procedure could take place, he vomited blood and later noticed blood in his stool. Alarmed, doctors ordered him to go to the hospital immediately.
On Christmas Eve, scans revealed a 35cm tumour in his lower oesophagus. Des had hoped for keyhole surgery to remove it, but further tests showed the cancer had already spread to his liver, severely limiting his treatment options.
Currently, he is undergoing immunotherapy to help his white blood cells attack the cancer, along with chemotherapy. However, he admits the treatments are only palliative.
“It’s not a cure,” he said. “It’s just to keep me comfortable so I don’t die straight away. I couldn’t refuse it—if I didn’t try something, the cancer would spread even faster. The NHS has only given me 12 months to live.”
Despite the grim prognosis, there is still hope. His mother Tracy, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for an advanced treatment in Germany that could extend his life.
“Des is unable to work and won’t be able to for the foreseeable future,” she explained. “We’re exploring new treatments in Germany to give him the best chance of living for five years or more.”
The treatment, which costs €52,000 (approximately £43,000), has already garnered significant support, with over £31,000 raised so far .
Des believes the German clinic offers a different approach to treatment—one that doesn’t view his condition as terminal.
“They have some of the best treatment plans in the world,” he said. “For them, ‘terminal’ means the cancer is everywhere. Mine is still localised, but if I don’t act now, the small spots on my liver will grow into full tumours.”
The proposed treatment includes a highly targeted chemotherapy injection directly into his liver, along with a procedure to cut off the main artery feeding the tumour in his oesophagus . Over five days, the tumour would be left to die before being surgically removed. Surgeons would then scrape cancerous cells from his diaphragm and stomach lining while reinforcing the area with mesh.
Des calls this treatment his last hope. “It’s my only chance to see my little boy grow up,” he said. “He’s the apple of my eye, and I’ll do whatever it takes to be there for him.”
Since launching, the GoFundMe campaign has raised £31,966 of the £43,000 goal as of Saturday.