In February 2026, John Robertson was enjoying the busy life of a father of three.
Married to his ‘rock and best friend’ Nicole, the 35-year-old was active – he had a passion for cycling and enjoyed paddling trips to the coast with his children Jorja, 15, Paris-Cole, 8, and Clay-Ty, 4.
But a little while ago Valentine’s DayJohn began to have difficulty swallowing food.
“It was jamming on the way down,” says John, from Ayr subway. “On many occasions, I have had to force the food out to get rid of the blockage.
“Fast forward a few months and I was getting a sharp, crushing pain in the center of my chest that would force me to lay on the floor and just pray it would go away.
Ask Metro
Use AI to dig deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
“This pain was then joined by a tightness around my ribcage, like someone was tightening a belt wrapped around me.”
Struggling to eat, John quickly lost weight.
“I was pushing him to eat because I was anticipating choking before every meal,” he explains.
After three months of this, Nicole persuaded her husband to see his GP.
“My wife pushed me to go as I kept saying, ‘It will pass’. I went and when the GP heard about my symptoms and weight loss, I was fast tracked for an endoscopy.’
During the procedure, doctors discovered a bleeding tumor, blocking about 75% of his esophagus.
After scans and a biopsy, on June 24, John and Nicole received the shocking news that John had stage 4 esophageal adenocarcinoma.
of cancer it had already spread to several parts of his body, including his liver.
“My wife was screaming and in complete denial,” says John. ‘She took it extremely hard. I was trying to stay as calm and collected as I could because I knew I had to get information.’
Talking about that moment, Nicole shares subway: ‘The noises coming out of me were not normal. I actually laid on the hospital floor because I felt like I couldn’t move.’
The doctors explained that the disease was terminal and estimated that he could have nine months to live.
They also told John that it was unlikely that the cancer would have been detected earlier as his symptoms were late. They believe he may have been living with the tumor for years.
“My world fell apart,” says John. “I’ve always worked in manual labor roles, I’ve been very fit and healthy and active with children.
“My body continues to deteriorate. To be told I might only have nine months to live made no sense.’
Doctors explained that chemotherapy can help control cancer, but not cure it. He has not yet started chemotherapy, as he is awaiting further tests.
But John refuses to accept the palliative care of chemotherapy as his only option.
“We’ve never accepted that it’s just her,” he says. “We refused to accept that this was all they could offer.
“I have a lot to lose and a lot to fight for.
“My wife and I decided we couldn’t sit on our hands and wait.”
The family has since sought second opinions from specialists at London, Dublin AND Germany.
A clinic in Germany prescribed an alternative treatment plan with targeted treatments, but John must wait for further tests before moving forward.
He is also in talks with another surgeon in Dublin about clinical trials, and Nicole spends about eight hours every day calling clinics and hospitals and researching treatment options, diets and therapies.
Nicole adds: ‘The world of cancer is one I wish never existed. When you get into it, it’s like living a completely different life.
“It’s like being a hamster on a wheel, pulling every possible thing you can think of to try and keep the person you love here.”
Now, the future John had always imagined feels uncertain, but he is determined to stay positive for his family, who are his ‘motivation’ during this time.
More than anything, John fears missing milestones in his children’s lives as they grow up.
“My children do not deserve to lose their father at such young ages. I have two daughters and a son to watch them grow up and help them grow when they fall and help guide them through this life.
“Knowing that I might not be here to walk my daughters down the aisle, to see my son grow into the gentleman he’s already becoming, it’s not fair.
“My son will ask me if I’ll still be his best friend when he grows up,” John describes. “Those conversations are incredibly emotional.”
“My wife and I have a life we’re supposed to live together, and it’s being stolen from me.”
Nicole says that while the children are determined to be strong, it has been incredibly difficult for them.
Nicole says: “When Paris-Cole found out, she said, ‘Mom, please don’t tell my brother. I can’t make him feel the way I feel.”
“She asks if her father will be there for her ninth birthday or when she will start up school.
“She’s so strong during the day, but at night when everything calms down, that’s when everything comes out.
“We are trying to give them some normalcy WINE“, says Nicole.
The disease has already dramatically affected John’s daily life. Unable to swallow solid food, he now survives on an almost entirely liquid diet.
Despite the devastating prognosis, John remains determined to fight for every opportunity possible.
Many of the treatments he hopes to use are not currently available through the NHS, meaning his family face high costs for private medical care, travel and accommodation if they are offered a place. As such, they have set up a GoFundMe.
Any funds raised will help secure passports so that treatment abroad can be accessed without delay, cover private medical treatments and clinical trials, pay for flights and accommodation, ease the financial pressure on his family and give them the opportunity to make precious memories together.
Unable to know what the future holds, John remains focused on one goal: to do everything possible to spend more time with his family.
“I have every reason in the world to fight,” he says.
“We’re trying to cram a lifetime of experiences into a few months,” he explains, and the family has been visiting the beach and taking days off when they can.
“I’m writing cards and recording video messages to my family to cover birthdays and other celebrations.
“I want them to know that I will still be there with them at every milestone.
“As long as there’s another opportunity to explore, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
As well as raising money for treatment, John and Nicole are passionate about raising awareness of the symptoms of oesophageal cancer, which is usually only caught after stage three, due to its symptoms often going undetected for years.
“When my symptoms started, they told me I could have had it for years.
“If you have any symptoms or any suspicions, get them checked out,” urges John.
To donate to John’s treatment, visit his GoFundMe page here.
What is esophageal adenocarcinoma?
- Esophageal adenocarcinoma is a subtype of esophageal cancer. Adenocarcinoma begins in the gland cells in the esophagus. These glands produce mucus. Adenocarcinoma occurs most often in the lower part of the esophagus.
- Esophageal cancer is a cancer found anywhere in the esophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe.
- Stage 4 esophageal cancer means the tumor has spread from the esophagus to distant lymph nodes or other organs (such as the liver, lungs, or bones).
- Esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, accounting for 1 in every 20 cancer deaths.
Symptoms to watch out for:
- difficulty in swallowing
- feeling or being sick
- heartburn or acid reflux
- indigestion
- a persistent cough
- loss of appetite or weight
- low energy
- sore throat or chest pain
- black stool or coughing up blood
Have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk
MORE: Collections for teachers are over £500 – it has gone too far
MORE: Venom rocker Rikki Rockett needed ‘tongue amputation’ during cancer treatment
MORE: Solar panel fears after three school fires in a year – but risk ‘small’
