'Healthy' dad's struggles swallowing food turned out to be terminal cancer

'Healthy' dad's struggles swallowing food turned out to be terminal cancer John Robertson, 35, from Ayr, was diagnosed with stage four oesophageal adenocarcinoma last month - he, his wife and their three children are 'trying to cram a lifetime of experiences into a few months' A dad of three who went to his GP after struggling to swallow food has spoken of the moment he was given the "devastating, world-crushing news" that he has terminal cancer. John Robertson, 35, from Ayr, Scotland, was diagnosed last month with stage four oesophageal adenocarcinoma, a rare cancer that develops in the glandular cells of the oesophagus. He began struggling to swallow food in February, losing three stone in two and a half months and suffering unbearable chest pain. John, a glazier, went to his GP, where he was fast-tracked for an endoscopy that found a bleed and a tumour covering around 75 per cent of his oesophagus. The cancer has now spread to multiple parts of his body, including his lungs, throat, right adrenal gland and liver, and he has been given just nine months to live, the Daily Record reports. John is "crushed" at the prospect of not seeing his children Jorja, 15, Paris-Cole, eight, and Clay-Ty, four, grow up, or building a future with his partner of 11 years and wife, Nicole, 29. He told the Daily Record: "It was the most devastating, world-crushing news. My world fell apart. My kids don't deserve to lose their dad so young. I want to watch them grow up and guide them through life. "To know I might not be here to walk my daughters down the aisle or watch my son grow into the gentleman he is already becoming is heartbreaking. I don't want them to remember me as ill. They've already seen enough. "A future with my wife has been stolen from me. I don't understand how I'm dying but look the picture of health. I refuse to believe that my time is almost over." John had always been fit and healthy but became concerned when food started getting stuck. A few months later, he developed severe chest pain and a tightening sensation around his ribcage, prompting him to visit the GP and be referred for CT scans and biopsies. Following his diagnosis, doctors told John it was unlikely that the cancer could have been caught earlier as symptoms appeared late. They said he may have had the tumour for years. John is now on an all-liquid diet and is due to begin chemotherapy, with a feeding tube a possibility. John said: "I remember seeing a pool of blood in my throat on the screen during the endoscopy. The doctor's face dropped. I was so panicked. "Doctors have told me I'll look like this until the end except a bit paler and thinner. My bloods, liver function and heart rate are good. I'm still strong and active. Looking at me and hearing my story doesn't marry up." John has set up a fundraising campaign to cover private treatment and clinical trials not currently available on the NHS. He is waiting to hear back if he has been accepted for trials in Germany and London. The money raised will also go towards making memories with his family. "We're trying to cram a lifetime of experiences into a few months," he said. "I'm writing cards and recording video messages for my family to cover birthdays and other celebrations. I want them to know I will still be there with them through every milestone."