It’s easy to dismiss heartburn or acid reflux as minor discomfort—something a pill can fix. That’s how it started for father-of-two Zack Van Aarde. Doctors prescribed medication, reassured him it was routine, and life carried on—until July 2025, when everything changed.
In the early hours one morning, Zack collapsed on the stairs of his home. His wife, Jess, woke to the sound of heavy breathing and then the unimaginable—Zack vomiting blood. She found him pale and barely conscious. “He’d lost so much blood he couldn’t even stand,” she recalled. She called an ambulance while keeping calm for their children.
At Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, doctors initially suspected a bleeding ulcer. But an endoscopy revealed a devastating diagnosis—stage four esophageal cancer. A six-centimeter tumor had been silently growing inside him.
Just months earlier, Zack had been healthy and active, working in cyber security and staying fit. “It came as a massive shock,” he said. “Now, I’m just doing everything I can to give myself the best chance.”
He began chemotherapy immediately. Every two weeks, he endures treatment, scans, and blood tests to see if the tumor has shrunk enough for surgery. The process is exhausting, but Zack refuses to give up.
Seeking every possible edge, he’s turned to complementary therapies like hyperbaric oxygen sessions, high-dose vitamin C, and red-light therapy to support his recovery.
To help fund these treatments and cover living costs, Zack and Jess launched a GoFundMe. In return, Zack pledged to run one mile for every £10 donated—a symbol of determination and hope.
Esophageal cancer often hides behind symptoms like reflux until it’s too late. Through his fight, Zack hopes to raise awareness—and remind others to never ignore the small signs. For Jess. For their children. For life.
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