FROM swimming the Channel, to scuba diving and working as a PE teacher, there was little that could stop Victoria Rodwell.
But when the 32-year-old suddenly suffered difficulties while trying to swallow and kept ending up in A&E almost “choking to death”, everything came crashing down.
At 32, Victoria Rodwell suddenly started having difficulties swallowing Credit: Jam Press
Victoria, pictured with husband Ben, repeatedly ended up in A&E after feeling like she was choking
Now it’s unclear how much time she has left.
“It’s been a movie from start to finish,” Victoria, from Kent , told Sun .
“I am heartbroken and devastated that my life has been ruined.
“And I’m terrified knowing that I will have to have treatment for the rest of the little life I have left.
Victoria now says she is terrified that she doesn’t know how long she has left Credit: Jam Press
The PE teacher says she was offered antidepressants and heartburn medication despite worsening symptoms Credit: Jam Press
“I can’t participate in like I used to. I can’t do anything like I used to actually.
“I’m tired all the time, I feel sick having to take these and myself.
“I’ve been told that I will never be able to have a family now as a result of this.
“And, at the end of it, are the doctors who couldn’t be bothered to do the right checks.
“Now, all the opportunities myself and my husband were working and living for have been taken away in an instant.”
Victoria started in September 2024.
With every meal it felt like food was getting stuck, which impacted her appetite and subsequently, her weight.
In just five months, she lost a shocking 3st 8lbs.
When visiting her doctor, though, she claims her concerns were “dismissed”.
She said: “I returned again and again as my symptoms worsened.
“My pain only increased and the ability to live a normal life disappeared.
“No matter how many urgent tests or hospital visits after I nearly choked to death, there was no follow-up, explanation or treatment.
When Victoria started to struggle to swallow in September 2024, it affected her appetite and she lost over 3st in five months Credit: Jam Press
When she went to the doctor, however, she claims her concerns were dismissed Credit: Jam Press
“Instead, I was offered antidepressants and heartburn medication.”
When it became “impossible” to ignore her decline, her case escalated.
In January 2026, Victoria was finally diagnosed with stage four oesophageal after a scope wasn’t able to pass through her food pipe due to the size of a mass there.
Right now, without treatment, it’s unclear how long she could have left.
She and her husband Ben, 30, a plumber , had originally planned to wed later on this year, but with her life hanging in the balance, they were forced to bring their wedding forward to March 21, 2026.
“The wedding was the best day of our lives, I still couldn’t eat properly, but we had the most magical day,” says Victoria.
To give herself a fighting chance, Victoria is raising funds for life saving treatment on GoFundMe , with more than £50k already raised.
The funds will help her get specialist care in the UK or abroad, alongside crucial support.
Victoria and Ben were forced to bring their wedding forward after her diagnosis Credit: Jam Press
The illness and its treatment means Victoria can’t participate in sports like she used to Credit: Jam Press
Victoria will be on treatment for life and is currently undergoing 12 rounds of through the , every two weeks.
After six months she’ll have a treatment break for three months and will then have to pay for a new treatment they might have.
She’s also on steroids , anti-sickness tablets and has to take injections to stop her white blood cells from attacking her red blood cells.
The side effects have left her with pins and needles in her hands, nosebleeds and feeling extremely cold, on top of being exhausted all the time.
It’s been tough for Victoria, especially as her once active lifestyle has now been stripped away for good.
She added: “I feel like my whole life has been completely ruined because I wasn’t being listened to.
“If this had been picked up when I first said something was wrong, I wouldn’t be worrying that each day will be my last.
“It’s been over a year of missed opportunities, delayed investigations and repeated reassurance, all while I deteriorated in plain sight.
To give herself a fighting chance, Victoria is raising funds for life saving treatment on GoFundMe Credit: Jam Press What is oesophageal cancer?
Oesophageal cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the oesophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe.
The oesophagus connects your mouth to your stomach.
It’s not always clear what causes oesophageal cancer. Anyone can get it, but you might be more at risk if you:
- Are over the age of 75 (it’s not very common in people under 45)
- Are a man
- Have certain conditions, such as long-term, severe acid reflux, or Barrett’s oesophagus – a condition where some of the cells in your oesophagus grow abnormally
- Many oesophageal cancers are also linked to lifestyle. For example, you’re more likely to get it if you’re overweight, smoke or drink too much alcohol
The symptoms of oesophageal cancer are:
- Having problems swallowing
- Feeling or being sick
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot
- A cough that is not getting better
- a hoarse voice
- Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
- Pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing
- Black poo or coughing up blood (although these are uncommon)
Treatment for oesophageal cancer will vary depending on the size of it, where it is and if it has spread elsewhere in the body.
It may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted medicines and immunotherapy.
Source: NHS
“I’ve been told I won’t ever be able to have children and the chance of a normal life again is non-existent.
“I was fit, healthy and a non- smoker .
“Now, I’m weak, unable to work and a shell of myself.
“Even now, while being told my is incurable, an appointment was cancelled with just an hour’s notice.
“It exposed a systemic failure in the NHS, where patients with complex or less common conditions are repeatedly overlooked.
“And it’s left me and so many others with devastating, life-changing and life-limiting consequences.”
The Sun has contacted West Malling Group Practice and NHS England for comment but hasn’t yet received a response.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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