HEALTHCARE workers in Worcestershire have thrown their support behind a national campaign raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of oesophageal and stomach cancer.
As part of the Be Clear on Cancer campaign doctors and nurses at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are encouraging people to speak to their GP if they have had difficulty swallowing food, or have suffered heartburn for more than three weeks.
The specialist team will be on hand at an information stand at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital for three days from Monday, February 23.
Upper gastro-intestinal clinical nurse specialist at the trust – which also runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital – Shirley Hughes said being aware of the symptoms of the conditions was extremely important.
“People shouldn’t learn to live with it - they should tell their doctor,” she said.
“It’s probably nothing serious, but if there is something wrong, then finding it early makes it more treatable.”
Every year about 12,900 people are diagnosed with oesophageal or stomach cancer in England and about 10,200 die of the conditions.
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