A British father has opened up about symptoms he brushed off for years before learning he had cancer.
Peak Health and Fitness founder Dale Atkinson, 35, was diagnosed in October 2024 with oesophageal adenocarcinoma — a form of cancer that develops in the oesophagus, also known as the gullet or food pipe, as described by the NHS.
The illness is frequently detected at a later stage because its early signs can be mistaken for other, less serious conditions. In Dale’s case, he was told it was too advanced for surgery and that there was no cure.
Balancing work with life at home raising two young children with his partner Ana, Dale initially assumed his health issues were simply the result of a demanding routine. But as the problems continued and intensified, he began to suspect something more serious was going on.
“For years, I had always suffered with heartburn and acid reflux, which I put down to stress and working long hours,” he explained.
“Looking back, the warning signs had been there much longer than I realised. As far back as 2019, I had been going to my GP with acid reflux, acid rising during sleep, burning in my throat and nose, and stomach cramps. I was prescribed omeprazole and reassured.
“When things worsened, I was made to feel like I was wasting NHS time, so I stopped pushing as hard as I should have.
“By 2023 and into 2024, the symptom had become more serious. I started to experience pain after eating, swallowing felt strange, as if food wasn’t going down properly, and I lost a significant amount of weight.”
On 15 October 2024 — the day of his youngest son’s first birthday — specialists found a tumour.
“Then on 31st October 2024, doctors confirmed I had stage IV disease,” Dale continued.
“It had already spread to multiple lymph nodes, including disease in the upper abdomen and around my aorta. I was told it was incurable and inoperable, and offered palliative treatment.”
At first, Dale decided he would not pursue chemotherapy. However, after undergoing what he described as advanced genomic testing, he felt he had clearer options and a direction to follow.
He added: “For the first time, I felt like I had a map instead of a diagnosis. One of the earliest useful results from that testing was chemo sensitivity analysis, and it came back in time to help guide my treatment decision.
“After discussions with my team about likely effectiveness, I decided to go ahead with CAPOX chemotherapy and pembrolizumab immunotherapy as part of my treatment plan, starting in December 2024.”
While he is still living with stage IV cancer, Dale says recent scans have delivered encouraging updates.
“There has been major regression in metastatic disease and my primary tumour has shrunk significantly from its largest recorded size,” he continued
“It’s not remission yet, but it is real progress.”