YOUNG dad Dan Kettle and his wife Bethan welcomed their baby Rex in March after getting married in June last year.
But their world turned upside down when he was told he had terminal cancer.
Just weeks after Rex was born, Dan, 33, visited the doctors after becoming concerned by weight loss and issues with swallowing.
An endoscopy and further scans confirmed a tumour on his oesophagus which had made eating and taking medication increasingly difficult, and he was diagnosed with stage 4b oesophageal cancer.
While the plumbing and heating engineer began intensive treatment straight away, a scan in September showed the tumours had spread, and doctors advised him to stop treatment and focus on enjoying time with his family.
They recently celebrated Christmas to make sure Rex could share the big day with his dad.
More on oesophageal cancer
Bethan’s sister Christine Elkins said: “They always say it happens to the best people, but Dan truly is one of the best people.
“There’s not a lot he wouldn’t have done for somebody else – he’s incredibly sincere and loving.
“We feel we were so blessed to have him join our family.
“The strength and courage he has shown over the last six months is a true testimony to his character.
“He continues to face everything with such bravery, and we are in absolute awe of him.”
Oesophageal cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the oesophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe.
Symptoms can be hard to spot because they often don’t appear in the early stages when the tumor is small.
When symptoms do appear, they are often non-specific, such as indigestion or heartburn, which can be mistaken for other, more common conditions.
Dan has urged anyone with similar symptoms – weight loss, difficulty swallowing and fatigue – to see a doctor as early detection increases the chances of survival.
Christine continued: “It is incredibly uncommon for someone of Dan’s age to get oesophageal cancer, but given his age and fitness level, they thought there was a good chance that he could withstand the chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
“We did a lot of research into what else we could do to help Dan because we didn’t want to just rely on chemotherapy.”
Despite seeking out private treatment to try and extend his life, treatment took its toll with Dan spending increasingly more and more time in hospital.
Oesophageal cancer is most common in older men, particularly those aged 50 to 75.
Other risk factors include acid reflux or Barrett’s oesophagus, and heavy alcohol and tobacco use.
The outlook for esophageal cancer is generally poor due to late diagnosis and aggressive nature, with a five-year survival rate of around 17 per cent in England.
As well as focusing on spending time together, the family, from Oakham, Rutland, have launched a crowdfunding appeal to allow them to make memories in the time they have left.
Christine said: “We have been blown away by the kindness of many people we know, and also by many that we don’t know at all who were touched by their story.
“They are like a silent hand holding our hand. It has made all of us feel not quite so alone.”
Dan’s wife Bethan also thanked supporters in a post on the crowdfunding page.
She wrote: “The kindness, generosity and love shown to our family over the past week has been truly overwhelming.
“Every message, donation and act of support has brought us so much comfort during this incredibly difficult time. Because of you, we’re able to focus on making special memories together as a family.”
The donations have already helped the couple revisit the Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel, in London, where they held their wedding reception last June, and spend a night at Hambleton Hall.
They were also gifted the use of a family’s Rutland Water holiday home at Normanton.
Christine also wants the donations to provide future security for Bethan and Rex while they come to terms with a much changed life.
She said: “Their story was just beginning and it’s been cut short.
“But I’m hoping we can still manage to get a few more memories in.”
If you would like to donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/memories-for-dan-bethan-and-rex
Symptoms of oesophageal cancer
There are many possible symptoms of oesophageal cancer, but they might be hard to spot.
They can affect your digestion, such as:
- having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
- feeling or being sick
- heartburn or acid reflux
- symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot
Other symptoms include:
- a cough that is not getting better
- a hoarse voice
- loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- feeling tired or having no energy
- pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing
- black poo or coughing up blood (although these are uncommon)
If you have another condition, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, you may get symptoms like these regularly.
You might find you get used to them. But it’s important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.
Source: NHS
