By Pamela McGowan

Last updated at 15:49, Friday, 18 May 2012

When cancer survivor Brenda Nicholls first held new grandson Jacob in her arms, she counted her blessings.

Brian and Brenda Nicholls

The 59-year-old, of High Carleton, Penrith, sees herself as lucky to be alive after very nearly missing a test that diagnosed her illness.

Retired primary teacher and university lecturer Brenda is now urging others not to ignore the possible symptoms of oesophageal and stomach cancer as part of the new Be Clear On Cancer campaign launched by the NHS in Cumbria.

It is exactly three years since Brenda had the operation that saved her life.

She’d suffered from stomach problems, mainly indigestion and acid reflux, for years. She’d been for tests in the past but they all came back clear.

Following a particularly bad attack, she went back to the doctor who arranged for a routine endoscopy – where a camera is inserted down the throat to check for problems.

“I’d had a few of them previously but they didn’t show anything. This time I waited a few months for an appointment and by the time it came round I was feeling better,” she said. “I said to my husband I wasn’t going to bother, but he persuaded me – that’s when they found the cancer.

“I feel very lucky that I did go. If I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

Brenda, who has two daughters, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer that was in the very early stages.

She was given two choices – radiotherapy to shrink it or surgery to remove it. The latter would be a major operation that involved removing most of the oesophagus and using her stomach to replace it. But there was also a much higher chance it would get rid of the cancer for good.

She underwent the surgery at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary three years ago.

She has since had to adapt her eating to small portions at regular intervals. But she said that was a minor price to pay for her life.

“I still think about that endoscopy and feel very lucky. It’s been three years now. My grandson was born at the end of last year and I don’t think I would have been here to see him if I hadn’t gone.”

Brenda and her husband Brian – who has battled prostate cancer after it too was caught early – are now making the most of the time they almost didn’t have together, travelling around Australia and New Zealand following her recovery.

She urges other people not to be complacent.

“A lot of people do not go to the doctors soon enough to catch it early. If that’s the case the chances of survival are a lot lower,” she said.

“The typical symptoms are constant indigestion or feeling like there’s something stuck in your throat. I never thought it would be anything serious, I thought it was just indigestion – it never crossed my mind that it might be cancer.

“You think it will never happen to you but I’m proof that it can.

“If you have any kind of symptoms go and get them checked out, and be persistent – if it doesn’t clear up go back, if only for peace of mind.”

First published at 14:07, Friday, 18 May 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk