If you’re thinking of a staycation this year Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter has everything you need to have the perfect experience, from Instagrammable murals to delicious local dishes.
With a thriving nightlife, a whole host of arts and culture events and venues and some of the city’s best restaurants you won’t be stuck for something to do.
Here are 5 Hotels in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter that are perfect for your city centre staycation:
1. Ramada by Wyndham
For those looking to be situated in the heart of Cathedral Quarter, a stay at the Ramada by Wyndham is the perfect choice.
Located just a stone’s throw away from the Belfast Cathedral, known locally as St Anne’s Cathedral, and within walking distance of renowned local bars and restaurants in Commercial Court and the famous Hill Street, the Ramada by Wyndham is ideal for those looking to be at the heart of the action.
Inspired by the Titanic, this boutique hotel situated near Custom House Square combines a sleek and contemporary style with luxury.
For the weary shopper, or for those looking to enjoy a night out on the town, Malmaison promises a taste of luxury at an affordable price. Their own Chez Mal brasserie even serves up fresh, locally sourced dishes alongside a refreshing cocktail.
For those seeking comfort on a budget, the Premier Inn located on Alfred Street puts you right in the heart of Cathedral Quarter.
The local bars and restaurants that make Cathedral Quarter come to life are just on your doorstep. Located just a five-minute walk from Victoria Square and the other highstreet shops that make up Belfast City Centre, the Premier Inn is the ideal spot for staycationers.
The Merchant Hotel promises five-star luxury in the heart of Cathedral Quarter. The impressive Grade A listed building contains a luxurious spa, a rooftop gym with panoramic views of the city centre, and a jazz bar for people to sit back and relax after a long day exploring all that Belfast has to offer.
The Art Deco inspired rooms with bespoke furnishings offer guests a lavish stay at one of Belfast’s most famous hotels.
Sitting on the banks of the River Lagan, AC Hotels by Marriott offers guests a sophisticated haven within walking distance of the very best Belfast has to offer.
The AC Hotel by Marriott has thoughtfully considered each amenity to ensure guests are treated to an effortless relaxation experience. From glass enclosed double showers, to 49-inch smart TVs, to the delectable dishes served up at Novelli, led by multi-Michelin-starred chef, Jean Christophe Novelli, The AC Hotel by Marriott has something for everyone.
As the incidence of oesophageal-gastric cancers continues to rise, the contribution of the healthcare professionals, who take charge of patients’ care has never been more vital.
Louise Collins is one of three oesophageal-gastric (OG) Clinical Nurse Specialists based at the City Hospital in Belfast. Louise and her colleagues, Karen Graham and Maureen Toner, look after anyone in the Belfast Trust, who is diagnosed with OG cancer.
“Once a patient is diagnosed with OG cancer,” Louise said, “we pick them up through multi-disciplinary meetings, emails from consultants who have diagnosed them and outpatient clinics. We try and make contact with them as close to diagnosis as we can and support them through the whole pathway of their care.
“Once we’re in contact with them, we act as key workers by phoning them, or seeing them at clinic or on the ward if they’re admitted. Some people may already be experiencing symptoms and will require admission for nutrition. We see them in a variety of settings – new patient clinics, obviously during chemotherapy, during radiotherapy or during the time they’re admitted for surgery. We also provide a telephone follow-up service where, when people are discharged, we contact them for a period of time and then, after that, they can contact us as well if they have any questions or concerns.
“We work with people at all stages of the cancer journey. We are Macmillan nurses but many people presume that Macmillan are for end of life and they worry, so we tend to introduce ourselves as OG nurse specialists and then, later on, we tell them we’re Macmillan.
“Once we pick people up, we follow them through to ensure they get all the tests and investigations that they need. We link in with their consultants, make sure that things are requested and then we follow through to make sure all of the tests are followed up and that they’re their case is discussed at the multi-disciplinary meetings. A lot of our work involves reassuring patients that we know about them and ensure that things move as quickly as possible. There has been a new initiative in the Belfast Trust that, once someone has their endoscopy and the consultant sees a cancer, there are a series of steps that they have to take. The consultant orders the relevant tests at the time and emails us and the MDM co-ordinator. We follow up to ensure the tests are done in a timely fashion and link in with the OG MDM coordinator to ensure their case is discussed. That was a new initiative established a couple of years ago.
“While there are three of us in the Belfast Trust, there are also OGCNSs in the local Trusts and they will pick up people at, for example, Altnagelvin or Craigavon. It’s really about giving patients advice and information and supporting them.
“Some patients will have issues with their nutrition, such as difficulty with swallowing, vomiting or lack of appetite and we will be involved in helping with those symptoms. We link in with the dietitian who will work along with us. It’s really about providing information and symptom management.”
As with most cancers, Louise is very aware of how important it is to get the message across that people should act quickly when they notice any unfamiliar symptoms or feelings.
“It’s vitally important people get symptoms checked as early as possible,” she continued. “Unfortunately, with OG cancer, the majority of people aren’t diagnosed until they have symptoms where the cancer is a bit more advanced, for example locally in the stomach or the oesophagus. But once it gets to a certain stage, it can go into the lymph nodes and then spread throughout the body, so early diagnosis really is the key. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the outcome.
“One of the problems with OG cancer is late presentation and, by that stage, the cancer is more advanced, which then reduces the long-term outcomes for those patients.”
As with many healthcare issues, the current COVID pandemic has caused more problems for patients: a fact of which Louise and her colleagues are more than aware.
“There’s no doubt that COVID has just made the situation worse. Local Cancer Nurse Specialists would point out that people are presenting a bit later and with more severe symptoms, so the worry is their survival rates aren’t as good. I think over the next year we’ll probably see that being the case, but I think a lot of people don’t like to go to their GP at the moment. I would recommend, however, that if symptoms persist, then people definitely need to go and see their GP.”
Louise is only too aware that, because the symptoms of OG cancer tend to be vague, people are less likely to act on them at an early stage.
“I think with some of our patients they’ll may have had an episode where their food sticking months earlier, but it only happened once. Once that happens, people will adapt their diet and eat more soft foods without actually thinking there’s anything wrong. Or they think they’ve got a hernia. It’s about getting that message out there – if people do notice that they have difficulty swallowing or have unexplained weight loss, then they need to act straight away. Anything that constitutes a change in habits or a change in their bodies needs investigated.”
Historically, OG cancer has been seen as an ‘older person’s disease’ but as Louise and her colleagues fully appreciate, this is not always the case.
“We do know that it is generally a cancer that occurs in the older age groups, but we also have an increasing number of younger people – particularly people in their fifties – now being affected, even though the average age is supposed to be around late sixties. Also younger people need to be aware so that if they see symptoms in their parents or grandparents, they can encourage them to do something about it.
“I think the main stage we see people at is when the cancer has started to affect their eating. They either can’t eat or the food sticks and that puts them off eating the rest of their meal.
“On occasion they may not be able to get food down and that will make them regurgitate their food, so they’re not eating as much and, as a result, will lose weight. People with stomach cancer may feel full very early or they’ve got reflux or indigestion and that puts them off their food, so they’re eating less.
“Anyone who has presented at their GP surgery with such symptoms and the symptoms haven’t improved, needs to go back to the GP within a couple of weeks and let them know nothing has changed. Sometimes people can see different GPs at different appointments, so it’s vitally important that they relay to each GP what has happened before…..join the dots if you like. It’s really just about pushing and saying ‘I need something done about this’. The OG Cancer NI campaign is giving everyone the opportunity to talk about a disease that hasn’t been in the spotlight before and it’s time that this cancer and its symptoms were highlighted so that more people can be diagnosed and treated at an early stage.”
With the weather in Northern Ireland heating up, what better time to get out in the city and enjoy the many beer gardens that Belfast has to offer.
From burgers and pints to cocktails and charcuterie there is really something to suit all tastes available in the Cathedral Quarter.
Here are 7 Beer Gardens in the Cathedral Quarter to check out this summer:
1. The Thirsty Goat
As one of Belfast’s newest offerings in the Cathedral Quarter, The Thirsty Goat boasts a spacious outdoor seating area, right at the entrance of Hill Street.
Offering everything from a perfectly pulled pint to local gin serves, there’s certainly something to suit all tastes.
If you’re looking for a beer garden that has it all then The Dirty Onion is the place to go offering pints and chicken, what more could you want? Serving up their famous Yardbird chicken and sides alongside an extensive drinks menu, The Dirty Onion has quickly become a firm favourite of the Cathedral Quarters visitors.
Offering a wide selection of craft beer options and the option to bring your four legged friend, it provides the perfect spot for chilled weekend drinks.
If you want to soak up the rich arts scene of the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast’s best kept secret, look no further than The Dark Horse Courtyard.
Centering around an oak tree the courtyard features a gallery of custom street art inspired by Belfast’s rich history, including the words of Seamus Heaney cut into stone.
With exclusive access only through the Dark Horse the courtyard provides the perfect escape to relax and unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Sunflower has quickly become a favourite amongst Belfast punters.
Serving signature woodfired pizza and a large selection of beers and ciders it’s the perfect place to waste a summer day. Priding themselves on being dog friendly the Sunflower even offers bowls and treats for your furry friends.
Belfast’s newest beer garden on Waring Street offers al fresco dining and pints from 12pm each day.
In lieu of live entertainment the bar is also offering free Bodhran Irish drum lessons, the bar has a strong focus on local artists and their upcoming ‘Handed Down’ sessions will feature traditional music reworked by local artists.
Whilst not strictly known for its beer garden, Maverick’s new outdoor area offers the perfect opportunity to relax in the sun.
Serving their signature Gorge Boards (a charcuterie board packed with a selection of seasonal, cheese, meat and chutney) and Jugs and Kisses cocktails, The Maverick provides the perfect weekend retreat.
With regular drag shows, guests are sure to be entertained during the visit.
Tourism NI recently held its first ever virtual Tourism Conference at Belfast’s ICC. Chief Executive John McGrillen outlines the main themes of the Tourism Recovery Action Plan, launched with the Department for the Economy, which was a key topic of the conference.
By John McGrillen, Chief Executive Tourism NI
We are now half way through 2021 and have spent the last sixteen months dealing with global events that have affected every facet of our lives.
Today with the successful roll out of the vaccine programme, the lifting of restrictions and the opening up of the Common Travel Area I am hopeful that by the end of 2022 the tourism industry in Northern Ireland could be back to 80% of the activity and employment levels of 2019 and see a full recovery by the end of 2024.
Since 2013 tourism has grown by 46% to achieve an unprecedented £1bn in revenue in 2019, of which £731m were export earnings.
The tourism, travel and hospitality sectors employed approximately 70,000 people in 2019, with 12,800 new jobs created since 2013. This was double the growth in jobs experienced in other sectors of the economy over the same period. These jobs were generated in every part of Northern Ireland with over two thirds of jobs located outside Belfast.
Tourism provides passengers for our public transport and supports sea and air routes; it generates revenue to support our culture and heritage assets and can contribute to the protection of our natural environment; it provides revenue for central and local government and promotes a positive image of Northern Ireland overseas, supporting foreign direct investment.
A wide range of tourism interventions have been introduced over the last sixteen months and in May the Tourism Recovery Steering Group, headed by former Economy Minister Diane Dodds, produced an Action Plan that resulted in more much needed and timely support.
The Plan has eight themes. Under Business Continuity a new KickStart programme will help businesses restructure, innovate and enhance their productivity. We will also support businesses to maintain and enhance their marketing activity to increase sales.
We will be providing support to councils to enhance visitor experiences and develop new offerings. There will be a particular focus on food and drink experiences as part of this approach. We will also support with market testing and feasibility studies for future projects, and we intend to continue with our abatement of accommodation certification charges until March 2022.
The second area, Creating Consumer Confidence, will see the continued roll out of the “We’re Good to Go” charter mark to allow the industry to demonstrate that safety is a priority, and that they are committed to the application of COVID safety guidelines.
The third theme, Stimulating Consumer Demand, will ensure that Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland are adequately resourced to generate demand. In the immediate term the focus will be on the domestic, GB and Republic of Ireland markets, with an extension of our cooperative marketing fund.
As an island destination, sea and air access are critical to the tourism infrastructure so Safeguarding Connectivity is the fourth theme, with an immediate priority to re-establish GB routes. I therefore welcome Economy Minister Paul Frew’s announcement of a £4.5million initiative to support air connectivity between Northern Ireland and GB which has also been warmly welcomed by the directors of our three airports.
The Action Plan also supports the industry’s request that the NI Executive continues to lobby for a suspension of short haul Air Passenger Duty (APD). APD has a disproportionate impact on Northern Ireland and has the potential to have a negative impact on recovery.
Enhancing the Competitiveness of the Region is the fifth theme and will highlight the investment required to provide greater access to our natural assets, while ensuring that they are managed sustainably for future generations.
The City and Growth Deals present a unique opportunity for major investment in tourism infrastructure and will build on the success of the Signature Projects a decade ago.
By Enhancing the Capability of Businesses, the next theme of the Action Plan, we intend to support with adopting digital technologies to improve business processes and productivity, bolster online presence and revolutionise access to digital marketing platforms.
Under the theme of Enhancing the Skills of the Workforce we will be working closely with colleagues in the Department of Communities through the JobStart Programme to create new jobs and match job opportunities to prospective young employees. Through the Hospitality and Tourism Skills (HATS) network we will seek to ensure that sector wide skills requirements and career progression paths are effectively communicated and supported.
The final theme of the Tourism Recovery Action Plan is Creating a Supportive Policy Environment and here we seek to develop a new tourism strategy to maximise Northern Ireland’s tourism potential with a unified focus on sustainability and regeneration. Working collaboratively to deliver more sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes will be critical to ensuring Northern Ireland’s reputation as a world class tourism destination.
Successful delivery of the Action Plan will require us all to work together in partnership, from government departments and tourism agencies to local councils, representative bodies and most importantly the industry.
I am confident that the priorities within the Action Plan will support the recovery of our tourism industry to meet the needs of future visitors, create sustainable employment and make a positive contribution to local communities right across Northern Ireland
Heather McFadden of Gobbins Crafts
Photo by Kaja Choma / Excalibur Press on behalf of the Storify My Business programme for Mid & East Antrim Council.
More info contact Tina Calder, Excalibur Press, 07305354209, tina@excaliburpress.co.uk
With more than 30 years-experience making jewellery and teaching others, Heather McFadden’s Gobbins Crafts offers the perfect opportunity to learn a new skill.
Gobbins Crafts gives visitors the chance to learn to make their own bespoke pieces with Heather, in an intimate setting on the Causeway Coastal Route.
Heather, 62, has developed a unique experience where people with no experience can learn the skills and techniques professionals use when making jewellery.
“I developed Gobbins Crafts classes to help people discover the joy that can be had from making your own pieces,” explained Heather.
“Those that attend the classes receive individual guidance every step of the way to create their own beautiful piece of jewellery made from sustainably sourced silver.”
Heather has extensive experience at not only making bespoke pieces, such as wedding and engagement rings, but also teaching at Belfast Metropolitan College and advising City and Guilds on developing goldsmithing courses.
“I wanted to create classes that are intimate to allow everyone to move at their own pace and make sure I can explain and demonstrate the techniques needed,” said Heather. “We have had all ages and abilities and I’m pleased to say that as well as having fun many have wanted to learn more at my weekly classes for those who wish to develop their skills further.”
In the scenic setting of Islandmagee, shaped by sea and stone in County Antrim, Heather teaches each intimate class of up to four people from her personal studio where they will have their own set of equipment and will be able to see Heather’s own work in progress, as well as completed items.
“In our most popular silversmithing workshop, each session will see guests shown the basics of jewellery making and go on to create their own set of stacking rings, knot rings or pendant,” said Heather, adding: “They will be shown how to take silver sheet and wire and cut, shape and solder it into their own unique piece of jewellery to take away as a tangible memory of the time spent.”
Heather’s experience in teaching means that each participant is taken through the experience at their own pace throughout the three hour session, allowing them to embrace the spirit of the experience.
Gobbins Crafts also offers shorter classes for tourists, taster classes, weekend half day classes and a four-week short evening course is available.
“I have found that the simple joy of creation is something uniquely satisfying for everyone that has attended,” said Heather. “And, while most of the participants have an interest in some form of crafting, we have even had hen parties attend for that different experience.”
Home to Belfast’s most innovative and cultural spaces, the Cathedral Quarter is host to a whole host of festivals, art exhibitions and cultural events.
With restrictions beginning to ease, now is the perfect time to explore this historic part of the city again.
Here are 10 arts and culture events happening in CQ this July::
1. Mediating Signals
Available until 10th July, you can visit ’Mediating Signals’, the offline exhibition in Flax Art Studios showcasing works of Belfast-related artists. Mediating Signals is in is a two-part instalment made up of: Tracing Algo-rhythm and Assigning Ambiguity.
2, 3, 4. Photography Exhibitions at Belfast Exposed
AEON by Marcel Rickly
Gallery 1 presents ‘AEON’, the solo exhibition by Swiss photographer Marcel Rickli represents how radioactive waste repositories will affect humanity for generations to come.
A Lightness of Touch
In Gallery 2, you can admire ‘A Lightness of Touch’ showcasing the work of MFA Photography graduates from Ulster University. Their art is far-reaching and diverse, with the overarching theme of capturing their subject with a lightness of touch.
Street View: Yan Wang Preston
Yan Wang Preston’s Street view offers visitors a chance to explore an instalment of the artist previous works He- River Together, Mother River and Forest.
5. Belfast Print Workshop – Fibre: A New Online Exhibition
From the comfort of your own home, you can explore Fibre- The New Online Exhibition by Belfast Print Workshop.
Fibre for printmakers is a subject matter transference, it is what ties their works together and gives the final piece its uniqueness. The instalment focuses on the relationship between fibre, the most fundamental elements of two-dimensional artmaking and print.
To find out more about the exhibition and Belfast Print Workshop, go to bpw.org.uk
6, 7, 8. Thought-provoking exhibits at The MAC
Ambera Wellmann – UnTurning
You can visit the first exhibition in the UK & Ireland by Canadian-born and New York-based painter Ambera Wellmann in the Upper Gallery. In ‘UnTurning’, Wellmann’s paintings negotiate the devastation of the present, one in which the cultural logic of heteronormativity and capitalism are naturalised in the human psyche.
Jaap Pieters – The Eye of Amsterdam
In the Sunken Gallery, you can view Dutch filmmaker and artist Jaap Pieters’The Eye of Amsterdam Exhibition. The exhibit features footage made by using minimal equipment and hardly any manipulations. Instead, he restricted himself to creating short, 3-minute reels and produced numerous films on the small-gauge “amateur” medium over four decades.
Maya Balcioglu
The Tall Gallery is home to Maya Balcioglu’s exhibit, which consists of large scale works on paper, latex and fabric completed over 15 years. It showcases drawings from between 2006-10, latex works from 2019-20, and her most recent fabric works.
For more information about the individual exhibits, visit themaclive.co.uk
9. Across and In-Between – Susan Lacy
Golden Thread Gallery presents you with ‘Across and In-Between’, a creative collaboration between Suzanne Lacy and Cian Smyth with Helen Sharp and several communities.
This project amplifies the voices and experiences of border residents during Brexit negotiations through words, imagery, sound and performance, providing them with an opportunity to reclaim the landscape around them.
The exhibit is shown across the entirety of The Golden Thread Gallery. For an in-depth review go togoldenthreadgallery.co.uk
10. Paddy McCann – Friary
Fenderesky Gallery is showing the works of Paddy McCann in the exhibit, titled ‘Friary’. The new paintings are available to view until the end of July by appointment.
Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District today (Friday, July 2) welcomed the long-awaited reform of liquor licensing laws, after a bill passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Destination CQ BID Manager, Damien Corr, said the changes within the Liquor Licensing Bill represent a significant step forward, after years of pressing for reform.
“For more than a decade there has been a relentless campaign to remove antiquated licensing laws,” he said.
As Belfast and the CQ quite rightly positions itself as a modern vibrant city, these new arrangements are a step change in enabling us to meet visitor expectations and should see a healthy increase in footfall and dwell time.”
The new laws, which will come into force in October of this year will extend closing time to 2am, with an additional hour of ‘drinking’ up time, for 104 nights each year. Opening hours on Sundays will be the same as any other day of the week.
Easter restrictions on sale of alcohol have been removed, and there is set to be flexibility on opening hours at major events.
“The changes couldn’t have come at a better time for our hospitality sector who have taken a big hit since March 2020,” said Damien.
“Cathedral Quarter, and the other BID’s in the city worked hard to get Purple Flag status for Belfast to enhance our night time economy.
“These changes mean we can work over coming months to support the sector in advance of the new laws coming into force.
“With the new student campus coming soon at the Ulster University, and the associated accommodation we anticipate that Cathedral Quarter and its businesses will continue to thrive and grow.
“We will work with partner agencies as we look forward to these welcome changes.”
Mr Corr added that restrictions around self-service alcohol point of sale, restrictions on off-sales promotions and banning loyalty schemes represent a balance to protect vulnerable people.
Adrian Hack of Lead The Way Tours
Photo by Kaja Choma / Excalibur Press on behalf of the Storify My Business programme for Mid & East Antrim Council.
More info contact Tina Calder, Excalibur Press, 07305354209, tina@excaliburpress.co.uk
The rich and varied World War Two history of Carrickfergus is becoming ever more accessible thanks to the Lead The Way walking tours by Adrian Hack.
Uncovering the history of the town’s past in the 1940s Adrian reveals how a linen factory was converted to make parachutes, that tanks were built, how the iconic US Rangers regiment was formed and the role the town had in sheltering refugees from the Belfast Blitz. The tour name is taken from their motto ‘Rangers Lead the Way’.
“While everyone knows Carrick Castle not everyone is aware of the vital role the town played during the war,” said Adrian. “It was home to the US Rangers, one of the key regiments on D-Day, storming 100ft cliffs to seize the Pointe De Hoc battery and all that began in Carrickfergus.”
When Adrian, now 57, took early retirement from the civil service due to health reasons he realised he was the same age as when his father had passed away.
“I remember on my 55th birthday, thinking, ‘I am now one day older than my dad ever got to be’ and how fortunate I was,” he explained. “That’s when the interest in finding out about my father’s life kicked in.
“That led me then, into finding out a bit more about the town itself where he grew up, and the history then of the Second World War in the town, that I didn’t know about. I lived a hundred yards away from the site of a major tank factory. I didn’t know it was there.”
The rich history of the town is explored through a walking tour, of up to 30 people *subject to COVID guidance). Over the course of just over a mile, Adrian takes participants through air raid precautions, the tank factory, the local Ulster Home Guard, the creation of the US Rangers, the formation of a new post-war Belgian Army, and the racial segregation of the American military at that time.
“Last year we celebrated the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and interest in World War Two has never been higher,” Adrian said. “So much history is in the bricks and streets around us that we simply haven’t been aware of.
“I hope that this tour will lift the veil and show the memories of our friends and families are entwined in our common history and ensure the efforts of those who lived through the Second World War endure, and are acknowledged by future generations.”
As well as Adrian’s Lead The Way tour he also gives talks in schools about the war and can provide more detailed private tours on request. Plans for the future include incorporating the town’s remaining Nissen Hut, as well as providing A Day In Carrickfergus for cruise ships and other overseas tourists.
Sean Greer, from Bangor, who is a survivor of oesophogeal cancer tells his story for the latest OG Cancer NI awareness campaign CATCH IT.
The symptoms of oesophageal-gastric junction cancer are vague and difficult to determine, but when Sean Greer was sitting in front of a bowl of soup for lunch and finding it really difficult to eat it – feeling like it was climbing a hill – he knew there was something wrong.
“My first recollection of feeling that something was unusual,” Sean said, “was back in September 2019. I’m in a drama club and I remember going down to rehearsals on Sunday afternoons and the feeling I had was that my stomach wasn’t right. I was slightly nauseous and I couldn’t tell if I was full or hungry, which sounds a bit strange, but from then on the messages that my stomach was sending to my brain didn’t seem to make any sense. I had this sense of “Have I not eaten enough?” or “Am I too full?” There was this strange, uncomfortable feeling, but it didn’t stop me from doing anything. Eventually, however, there was just too much discomfort and so eventually I did go to the GP.
“His guess was that it might be helicobacter pylori.(HP) – a bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. There was a simple test for that that proved positive, so they gave me a course of antibiotics for a week and I took those and that eradicated the HP, but it didn’t make any difference to me, so my initial assumption was that the antibiotics hadn’t worked. I was back at the GP in December and he had started to think it might be a kidney stone or gallstone, so he said not to worry and he referred me for an urgent endoscope. I was happy enough with that as, again, I wasn’t in any terrible discomfort. I didn’t think I was losing any weight but, in retrospect, I maybe had but I’d never been very big anyway. If I’d been 20 stone and had lost four stone, it would have been significant, but if you’re nine stone and lose half a stone it’s not that much.”
For a while, things seemed to be OK, but, by late January, Sean still hadn’t heard anything and so he’d started to think the GP hadn’t called the hospital or hadn’t made the referral, and so he called the hospital himself. It turned out that Sean’s name was on the list, but the list was an incredible 72 weeks’ long.
“I didn’t know what ‘urgent’ meant,” Sean continued, “but evidently “urgent” didn’t mean “urgent” at all. That was the first big shock.
“Meanwhile I was starting to feel a bit more uncomfortable. It was a strange feeling in my stomach. The nausea was stronger and I wasn’t enjoying eating as much, but I didn’t have any problem with anything sticking or anything like that. then I started to think maybe I should try and get something done privately – reluctantly – but we had some insurance at work that had actually just come in, so I thought I would try that, but, before I did anything about that, the hospital called me in for an ultrasound.
“I went for the appointment in mid-March for an ultrasound and it was all clear. Everything – stomach, spleen, gall bladder – all was clear. That was good news but equally bad news because I still felt the same and now had no answer. Just the next week, everything went into lockdown and I wasn’t able to get anywhere with the GP or even private clinics and they were only offering consultations over the phone.
“It just felt really uncomfortable and my stomach started to feel cramped – especially early in the morning. I stopped sleeping well and would get up in the middle of the night after two or three hours, so I’d started sleeping on my back. Towards the end of April my wife and mother-in-law persuaded me to go to A & E. I knew it wouldn’t help because they don’t give you endoscopes at A & E, but it was my only option.
“I’d also started to get night sweats – you wake up and your clothes are wet. You wake up after a sweat. It was surprising how wet my clothes would be. I didn’t know that was a sinister symptom. When I was at A & E they treated me well but they weren’t really able to do anything for me beyond the normal observations. I went to them because I had nowhere else to go. What they actually did was send my blood to the lab, asked about symptoms, felt my stomach and told me everything was fine, and keep pushing for an endoscope, which is what I really needed most.
In April I was furloughed from work, but I spent a lot of time in the garden. I was really tired and I didn’t know why. I think symptoms creep up incrementally on people. Some are more reluctant to heed their symptoms and avoid the GP. Because things creep up you don’t take them that seriously but you just start to notice. I couldn’t understand why I was so tired.”
It was much later in early August that my blood was taken again at the request of the hospital consultant who was now on the case after a private CT scan in July. It was then that I got a phone call from the hospital telling me my iron level was 79 and to go, almost right away, for an iron infusion, my iron levels had been slowly going down as a result of the undiscovered tumour which was growing in size.”
“The time period between when I went to the GP and the tumour was confirmed was about nine or ten months – between October 2019 and August 2020. I asked about the stage of the tumour several times, but consultants are very reluctant to tell you the stage because each individual varies and each cancer case varies as well. It was about ten centimetres but not in diameter; I asked the consultant if it was like a big apple but he said more like a banana.”
As with most patients with cancer, Sean’s journey with the disease was just beginning.
“Everyone’s cancer journey is two halves,” he said. “You have symptoms and you’re trying to get it diagnosed and that journey can be long and stressful because you know something’s wrong. It’s nearly like a relief to get a clear diagnosis, but then it’s a scary diagnosis and then you’re looking at the next road ahead which is treatment. It’s bumpy too, but you’re in the hands of experts. When you get the final diagnosis, it’s a mixture of relief and anxiety and fear. I didn’t dwell on things because I didn’t want to scare myself too much.”
Sean immediately started focussing on his recovery.
“I was determined to be positive about it and I’m lucky too that the people around me were very supportive as well. It’s quite hard telling people. That’s a stress in itself. Calling your friends and family – going round to tell your mum – even though they knew something was wrong. You have to explain it seven or eight times to different people.
“I read a bit about it on the internet but Dr Google can get you into lots of areas you don’t want to be in. I found a good book and read it because my idea was to know your enemy. I didn’t get down about it. The hospitals do move quite quickly. Chemotherapy was only a few weeks away and it was good because you felt something was being done. The chemotherapy worked quickly and eating became easier soon after the treatment. I was still anaemic for quite a while – I had to get iron infusions and I was very tired for a long time, but eventually that came back. The chemotherapy lasted until November last year and then I had a brief window of about three or four weeks in December when I could eat well and felt good. That was the best I’d felt in a year. I felt I was on the road to recovery. Then I had surgery on 4 January.
“I’m now walking every day and trying to get used to eating again. I’m looking forward to getting back to work again – I think I’m too young to retire. Being on furlough has been inadvertently helpful for me.”
“It was a weird time for everyone but maybe even weirder for me. Furlough or not though, I wouldn’t have been able to go to work at that time. My workplace was very understanding.”
Sean’s outlook and perspective on his experience is extremely positive and he’s looking forward to what the future holds for him.
“From here on in, I’ll be getting a regular CT scan just to check everything’s OK,” he said. “I think everyone with cancer always has that niggling fear of a return in the future and it’s vital to go back to the doctor if symptoms return, but the pathology results of my surgery were very good. The consultant told me they were very confident that they got it all. My surgery was the very last one of the oesophageal-gastric cancers they operated on before they stopped all the surgeries because of Covid. I got someone else’s slot because they cancelled, so I would only have been getting it now, so I consider myself extremely lucky.
“After experiencing oesophageal cancer, the main thing is that you feel lucky. Lucky to be alive.”
Pictured is: Helen Setterfield, chair, OG Cancer NI outside the Cancer Centre at the Belfast City Hospital ahead of the launch of the OG Cancer 2021 Catch It Early campaign which is encouraging people to look for the signs of oesophageal-gastric cancers. More info at https://ogcancerni.comPhoto by Francine Montgomery / Excalibur PressFor more information contact publicist Tina Calder, Excalibur Press, tina@excaliburpress.co.uk, 07305354209. Alternatively contact publicity assistant Hannah Chambers at publicity@excaliburpress.co.uk
Charity warns that patients need referrals dealt with without further delays
OG Cancer NI, the charity that supports those with oesophageal and gastric cancers has today welcomed Health Minister, Robin Swann’s, three-year Cancer Recovery Plan to rebuild Northern Ireland’s cancer services.
Chair of OG Cancer NI, Helen Setterfield, said the plan, together with £30m to tackle all waiting lists, was urgently needed.
“Even before the pandemic it was clear that cancer waiting times were too long,” she said. “Each year there are 400 people diagnosed with oesophageal or gastric cancers, and when we learn that all cancer targets in the first quarter of 2021 were missed it is a major concern. “We urge the Minister to make sure that, as the plan is rolled out, that he and his team speak to specialists across all cancer fields to hear what can be done to improve the service, adopt new diagnostic tools, and reduce waiting times.”
Mrs Setterfield, herself a survivor of cancer, also warned that due to the pandemic, there has been a drop in the number being diagnosed, but people should not hesitate to contact their GP if they experience symptoms.
At present the only diagnostic test for oesophageal and gastric cancers is an invasive scope examination.
The OG Cancer chair welcomed the Minister’s commitment in the three-year plan to investigate a new diagnostic tool called a Cytosponge. This is a procedure that can be carried out in a health centre or at a GP surgery. It involves swallowing a tablet on a string which contains a sponge that will collect cells for testing.
“We are absolutely delighted that the Health Minister is aware of this trial and hopefully, it will be available in Northern Ireland in the very near future as part of the recovery plan,” she said. “It has finished clinical trials and during the pandemic it was used in England and it was very successful. We are hoping that with the inclusion in the cancer recovery plan for Northern Ireland it will soon be available here.”
People diagnosed early have much better outcomes, making the OG Cancer awareness message and new tests such as the Cytosponge vital.
“If you look at the statistics for oesophageal and gastric cancer, they are really very poor and quite frightening,” Mrs Setterfield explained. “People who are diagnosed at an early stage have a good chance of surviving 5 years or more. If you are diagnosed at a late stage such as stage 4, you only have a 3.4% chance of survival.
“What we are determined to do is to get this message out so that people know if you have difficulty swallowing, that’s not right. If you have heartburn, persistent heartburn, continuous heartburn, that’s not right. Please, if you do suffer from any of these symptoms, get them checked out. It could save your life.”
OG Cancer NI has funded researcher at Queen’s University which will transform the care of oesophago-gastric patients. The charity has also funded an audit by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.
“Recently the registry completed an audit for oesophageal cancer, but there was no audit completed for gastric cancer, so we donated the money to allow this to happen,” explained Mrs Setterfield. “The audit will inform all the medics of the successes in what they do, identify weaknesses and thus enable improvements in the OG cancer patient pathway.”
OG Cancer NI provides support and services to those diagnosed with oesophageal or gastric cancer, and works to increase awareness and promote research. All members are volunteers mostly ex-patients or former carers. Pre covid-19 they provided an information stand at the City Hospital to coincide with the oesophago-gastric clinic, this will resume as soon as possible in the wake of the pandemic. Members work closely with the clinical team. Regular meetings have been held online during lockdowns, and fundraising will continue.
For further information go to ogcancerni.com, follow #OGCancerNI, call 07568 157450 or make an appointment to see your local GP today.
