A Dublin mum has urged people to watch out for symptoms of oesophageal cancer after her husband died following a two-and-a-half year battle - and she has vowed to finish his bucket list with their son.
David McGrath, from Clontarf, passed away last month after being diagnosed with stage four oesophageal cancer in September 2020. The 35-year-old has left behind a bucket list for his wife Amy and their young son Jacob to complete in his memory.
Speaking to Dublin Live, Amy explained that David's symptoms began as a "horrific pain" below his ribcage, but he shrugged it off and didn't go to a doctor straight away.
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However, when David's pain continued and Amy noticed he had lost a significant amount of weight, she arranged a GP appointment for him. "The GP examined him, did bloods etc and referred him on for a scope as he thought there could be a chance it was a bleeding ulcer," she said.
"We couldn't wait around for the public wait list so we went privately to the Bon Secours (for a biopsy) and there his consultant met him after procedure. He asked David if he was a smoker and David was at the time and the consultant told him not to smoke when he left there."
The family then had to wait two weeks for the results of David's biopsy which Amy described as "the most stressful time".
She said: "The letters came to see a surgeon in Beaumont Hospital and that's where David and I got the most heartbreaking news anyone would dread to get and he was diagnosed with stage four oesophageal cancer in September 2020."
Amy said that David immediately began treatment to fight the cancer. She said: "We went into survival mode and David then started 12 rounds of very intense chemo in October 2020. He absolutely smashed every round just like the hero he was.
"He fought so bravely for myself and Jacob and at the end of his 12 rounds, the tumour had shrunk by more than half."
David then took a ten month break from treatment but was getting regular check-ups. Unfortunately in September 2021 while on a family holiday in Carlow, David took a sudden turn for the worse and went limp on the left side of his body.
He was rushed to Kilkenny Hospital where they were given the dreadful news that David now had a tumour in his brain leaning on his motor strip, causing him to experience symptoms of a stroke. "We then got transferred to Beaumont Hospital where David underwent three rounds of stereotactic radiotherapy and also bossed that again," Amy said.
The family then set off on their family adventures again and even moved into their forever home. Unfortunately, later in 2022, David suffered another seizure, and after tests in the Mater Hospital it was confirmed that his brain tumour had returned.
After a surgery to remove the tumour, David returned home to Clontarf "to spend what we didn't know was his last Christmas".
Amy said: "We had an oncology app on the 22nd of December where we got more bad news that the cancer had spread and was now behind the stomach and meant David would need to start another 12 rounds of chemotherapy as well as clean up radiation to the brain after surgery.
"Our hero gave it his best shot and fought again through radiation and then onto chemotherapy but unfortunately the chemotherapy wasn't agreeing with David's body. He had many hospital admissions due to raging temps and high infection."
Sadly, David passed away on the 23rd of April. "He fought and fought and never gave up right until his last breath in my arms," Amy said.
"Myself and Jacob are beyond heartbroken we have lost a husband and a daddy and we have been robbed of all the memories we were still to make."
David left a bucket list for Amy and Jacob to complete in his honour and the family are determined to tick off every item. A fundraiser has been launched to help them complete this and also to cover his funeral costs.
She said: "David had a bucket list made for myself and Jacob of the places we have to visit, where Jacob was to play soccer and his communion plans, confirmation plans, etc. We will now hopefully be able to start that bucket list and we know David will be right by our sides while we make these amazing memories."
Amy urged others to pay attention to their bodies and push for proper examinations if they feel something is off as oesophageal cancer can go unnoticed.
"My husband was taken at the very young age of 35 after a two and a half year battle, leaving behind his most prize possession Jacob, aged five, who is absolutely broken hearted," she said.
To donate to the fundraiser for Amy and Jacob, click here.
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