In February 2026, John Robertson was enjoying the busy life of a dad-of-three. Married to his 'absolute rock and best friend', Nicole, the 35-year-old was active — he had a keen passion for bike riding, and loved paddle boarding trips to the coast with his kids, Jorja, 15, Paris-Cole, 8, and Clay-Ty, 4. But, just before Valentine's Day, John began finding it difficult to swallow food.
'It was getting trapped on the way down,' John, from Ayr, tells Metro. 'On many occasions, I had to force the food back out to get rid of the blockage. Fast forward a few months and I was getting a severe crushing pain in the centre of my chest that would cause me to have to lay on the floor, and just pray that it would pass. This pain was then joined by a tightening around my ribcage, like someone was pulling a belt tight wrapped around me.'
Delayed Diagnosis
Struggling to eat, John quickly lost weight. 'I was putting off eating food because I was anticipating choking before every meal,' he explains. After three months of this, Nicole persuaded her husband to visit 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, they fast-tracked me for an endoscopy.'
During the procedure, doctors discovered a bleeding tumour, blocking around 75% of his oesophagus. After scans and a biopsy, on June 24, John and Nicole were given the shocking news that John had stage 4 oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The cancer had already spread to multiple 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 take in the information.' Speaking of that moment, Nicole tells Metro: 'The noises that were coming out of me weren't normal. I actually lied on the hospital floor because I felt like I couldn't move.'
Prognosis and Fight
Doctors explained that the disease was terminal and estimated he could have as little as nine months to live. They also told John it was unlikely the cancer could have been detected any earlier as his symptoms appeared late. They believe he may have been living with the tumour for years.
'My world fell apart,' says John. 'I have always worked in manual labour roles, kept very fit and healthy and active with the kids. My body just keeps deteriorating. To be told I could only have nine months left to live, it didn't make sense.' Doctors explained chemotherapy could help control the cancer, but not cure it. He has yet to start chemotherapy, as he is awaiting further tests.
But John refuses to accept palliative chemotherapy care as his only option. 'We've never accepted that's just it,' he says. 'We refused to accept that was all they could offer. I've got far too much to lose and far too much to fight for. My wife and I decided we couldn't just sit on our hands and wait.'
Seeking Alternative Treatments
The family have since sought second opinions from specialists in London, Dublin and Germany. A clinic in Germany outlined an alternative treatment plan with targeted treatments, but John needs to wait for further tests before pressing forward. He's also in talks with another surgeon in Dublin about clinical trials, and Nicole spends about eight hours each day ringing up clinics and hospitals and researching treatment options, diets and therapies.
Nicole adds: 'The cancer world is a world I wish never existed. When you step into it, it's like living a completely different life. It's like being a hamster on a wheel, pulling at every possible thing you can think of to try and keep the person you love here.'
Family Impact and Memories
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 the milestones in his children's lives as they grow up. 'My kids do not deserve to lose their dad at such young ages. I have two daughters and a son to watch grow up and help them up when they fall and help guide them through this life. To know that I may not be here to walk my daughters down the aisle, to watch my son grow into the gentleman he is already becoming, is not fair. My son will ask if I'll still be his best friend when he's older. Those conversations are incredibly emotional. My wife and I have a life we are supposed to be living together, and that is being stolen from me.'
Nicole says that while the kids are determined to be strong, it has been incredibly hard for them. 'When Paris-Cole found out, she said, "Mum, please don't tell my brother. I can't have him feeling the way I feel." She asks if her dad is going to be there for her ninth birthday or when she starts high school. She's so strong during the day, but at nighttime when everything goes quiet, that's when it all comes out. We're trying to give them a normal summer.'
Fundraising for Treatment
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 possible opportunity. Many of the treatments he hopes to access are not currently available through the NHS, meaning his family faces high costs for private medical care, travel and accommodation if he is offered a place. As such, they have set up a GoFundMe. Any funds raised will help secure passports so 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 chance to create precious memories together.
Unable to know what the future holds, John remains focused on one goal: doing everything possible to spend more time with his family. 'I have all the reasons 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 have been visiting the beach and going on days out where they can. '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. As long as there's another option to explore, that's exactly what I'm going to do.'
Raising Awareness
Alongside raising money for treatment, John and Nicole are passionate about raising awareness of symptoms of oesophageal cancer, which is usually only caught after stage three, due to its often undetectable symptoms for years. 'When my symptoms started, they told me I may have already had it for years. If you've got any symptoms or any doubts, get them checked,' John urges.
