In January 2026, Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport, spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on Less Survivable Cancers, sharing his own personal experience of oesophageal cancer.

The debate drew attention to the cancers with the lowest survival rates and the urgent need for more research, earlier diagnosis, and better public awareness.

Oesophageal cancer has a five-year survival rate of less than 20%. When it is caught at stage 1, one-year survival is 89%, but at stage 4 that falls to 26%.

OCHRE is a member of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, which campaigns for fairer treatment, research funding, and policy attention for the six less survivable cancers: oesophageal, liver, brain, lung, pancreatic, and stomach.

If you have symptoms that concern you, including persistent heartburn or difficulty swallowing, please talk to your GP. The earlier oesophageal cancer is found, the better the chance of survival.

Follow the Campaign

You can follow the progress of the SILENCE campaign and see it unfold in real time on our OCHRE’s Facebook page.

If you or someone you know is experiencing persistent heartburn, difficulty swallowing, or other symptoms that won’t go away – please don’t stay silent. Speak to your GP.