A father-of-two who thought he was suffering from common indigestion was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer just days after he began vomiting blood.
Zack Van Aarde, 41, from South Devon, kept himself ‘fit and healthy’ as a young dad, regularly competing in ultramarathons in his free time.
The account executive started experiencing acid reflux—when stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the gullet—a common cause of indigestion, back in 2024 but didn’t really think much of it.
He was prescribed omeprazole by his GP to help alleviate his symptoms—a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) which works by reducing acid production in the stomach—but his symptoms persisted until things ‘took a turn’ for the worse in July this year.
‘I woke up at 5am and heard heavy breathing and someone collapse,’ his wife Jess, 42, remembers.
‘I raced out and saw Zack on the floor and he’d been vomiting blood.
‘But we didn’t want to scare the kids, so I quickly got him in the room and called an ambulance,’ she added.
But the father-of-two could barely sit up on his own, let alone stand, due to the sheer volume of blood loss.
Zak struggled with painful acid reflux for months, but it was only when he started vomiting blood that he realised it could be something a lot more serious
Together with his family Zak (pictured left) is raising money to fund his treatment whilst he cannot work
Mr Van Aarde was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where following an endoscopy—which doctors suspected would reveal a stomach ulcer—he was heartbreakingly diagnosed with stage four oesophageal cancer.
‘It was a huge shock,’ Ms Van Aarde said.
‘It was so surreal—it was like a film. You just can’t believe this is happening.’
Oesophageal cancer refers to cancer found anywhere in the oesophagus, which connects the mouth to the stomach.
It’s not always clear what causes the disease, it is thought that men and those who suffer from certain conditions including long-term, severe acid reflux are more at risk.
Whilst doctors had initially planned to operate—which is usually the first line of treatment when the cancer is found early and it has not spread—after further tests they decided to to begin with chemotherapy with the hopes of shrinking the tumour.
Despite undergoing chemotherapy sessions every two weeks to fight the cancer, as well as having weekly blood tests and scans to check the progression, Mr Van Aarde is determined to remain optimistic for his kids, Joshua, 10, and Hannah, 8.
‘It’s the hardest thing as a parent, telling your kids you’ve got cancer,’ he said.
Zak now has chemotherapy sessions every two weeks to help fight the cancer, along with weekly blood tests to monitor his progress
Omeprazole is a PPI which works by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. It’s used to treat or prevent conditions and symptoms such as heartburn, stomach ulcers and acid reflux
Zak said he is determined to do everything he can to beat his diagnosis, supplementing his chemotherapy with alternative treatments like hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy
‘But they’re very resilient and they’re handling it amazingly.’
The couple are now fundraising for supplementary treatments, including hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy which are not available on the NHS, with the hopes that it will help speed up his recovery process.
‘Chemotherapy kills all the cells—good and bad ones,’ Mr Van Aarde explained.
‘To give my cells the best chance of rejuvenating more quickly, we’ve been researching additional therapies.
‘I’ve undergone hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy which increases oxygen to the body, IV drops with intense doses of vitamin C—to boost the immune system—and red light therapy.
‘I’m determined to do whatever I can to give me the best chance for my family,’ he added.
However, doctors strongly advise cancer patients to seek medical advice before embarking on alternative therapies.
Figures published earlier this year showed that Britain has one of the highest rates of the disease in Europe, with medics waning cases—like other cancers—are on the rise among young adults.
And sadly, the majority of cases are caught too late due to patients dismissing red flag warning signs as minor issues like heartburn or a sore throat, with 22 patients dying every day in the UK from the disease.
Other common symptoms include problems swallowing, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, symptoms of indigestion, a cough that doesn’t go away, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and fatigue.
While oesophageal cancer can strike anyone, those who smoke or drink or who are obese are more at risk.
Overall, charity Cancer Research UK estimates about three in five of the near 9,500 cases of oesophageal cancer diagnosed in Britain each year are preventable.
The long-term use of common acid-suppressing medications has come under fire in recent years, with experts warning that relying on these drugs for simple heartburn can have long-lasting, damaging effects.
Whilst reflux can be uncomfortable, stomach acid is essential for digestion. It activates pepsin—an enzyme that breaks down proteins in the gut, and helps soften food.
It also protects against harmful microbes in food, and without sufficient levels, heartburn sufferers could be more susceptible to bacterial overgrowth, infections like c. diff and even stomach cancer.
