The Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) is a registered charity which was set up in 2001 by friends of Lucilla Hyland to raise awareness of the symptoms of oesophageal cancer and to provide money for research so as to improve the journey and outcomes for people with oesophageal cancer and their families. Photo: Michael Hussey Youghalonline.com

It is a voluntary organisation,started initially in conjunction with Professor Tom Walsh in Blanchardstown Hospital but has grown to be the national voice representiong oesophageal cancer in Ireland. As a group we strive to further the public awareness and understanding of this disease.Many patients are diagnosed late when the disease is advanced.We hope that through continued public education we will all recognize the significance of difficulty in swallowing just as we all have become aware of the sinister nature of a breast lump or of a mole which changes in colour. Our main fundraising event is an ANNUAL LOLLIPOP DAY which takes place at the end of February each year.This involves thousands of people selling lollipops throughout the country.We are very fortunate to have an ever increasing number of dedicated volunteers and loyal sponsors all of whom make this charity the success that it has become .

The Oesophageal Cancer Fund ( OCF ) recently pledged up to 500,000 euros over the next three years for research into oesophageal Cancer and have established a Scientific board to adjudicate submissions for national, multi-centre, collaborative, clinical research into any aspect of Oesophageal Cancer care. Our vision is to work in partnership with leading experts and funding bodies to achieve the greatest impact in the fight against Oesophageal cancer.

“Our committement to funding clinical research is a testament to the callibre of research that is currently taking place into Oesophageal cancer in Ireland. Irish researchers are leading the field .Developments in areas of diet related changes are especially crucial at a time when obesity is a major issue for Irish people” , said Noelle Ryan Chairperson of the Oesophageal Cancer Fund.

Why was it started?

The oesophageal cancer fund was formed by a group of Lucilla Hyland’s close friends after she died from Oesophageal cancer in August 2001, to address the lack of awareness of the symptoms of this type of cancer.

It was very interesting to find that Ivor Lewis, the first Surgeon to operate on cancer of the middle oesophagus, and to devise the operation which now bears his name – the Ivor Lewis operation –wrote in the British Journal of Surgery in 1946:
“Is it too much to hope that the public will be taught that any disturbance in swallowing  must mean seeing the doctor about it, that the doctor will assume that all such cases over 40 years of age are due to cancer unless obviously due to something else, and that physicians and surgeons will insist that such growth is excluded only when radiography and esophagoscopy are negative”

Despite his optimism we are not aware in the intervening 60 years of any other grouping any country who are promoting awareness of the significance of difficulty swallowing.

It is hoped that by diagnosing the disease earlier, before it becomes systemic, that more people can hope for curative treatment. We established Lollipop Day as a national oesophageal cancer awareness day to highlight the association between difficuly swallowing and oesophageal cancer. We also wish to emhasise the need for endoscopy in people who have had a long history of heartburn, as this is a marker of Barrett’s oesophagus and Barrett’s is in turn a precursor of Oesophageal cancer. The lollipop was chosen as the emblem for this campaign to highlight the most common symptom of suspicion

* DIFFICULTY IN SWALLOWING. ( Dysphagia) This means that food sticks on the way down).
* Unexplained weight loss ( which may precede dysphagia )
* new onset of Dyspepsia in the over 50year old ( Indigestion )
* persistent hiccups
* pain between the shoulder blades
* discomfort behind the breastbone

The oesophageal cancer fund is aware of the fact that oesophageal cancer is usually diagnosed late when the disease has reached an advanced stage and may not be curable. This is related to poor public awareness of the symptoms to be aware of. We hope that as a result of  the establishment of Lollipop Day and its awareness campaign that this trend is changing.