OCHRE Trustee Sue Kee is preparing to embark on the challenge of a lifetime – walking part of the Great Wall of China to raise vital funds for oesophageal cancer research and awareness. But for Sue, this isn’t just about conquering one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. It’s about honouring the memory of her father, Gordon Kee, who helped establish OCHRE over two decades ago.

A Force of Nature

Sue describes her father as “a force of nature – a huge personality with a voracious appetite for life.” Gordon was a well-respected businessman and entrepreneur, an accountant by trade who later moved into pre-paid funeral planning. He lived by the motto “work hard, play hard,” enjoying golf, shooting, fishing, and travelling in his spare time.

But in 1999, at just 51 years old, Gordon’s world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus.

The Journey That Started OCHRE

Like many oesophageal cancer patients, Gordon had been struggling to swallow for months but never felt it was worth bothering his GP about. It was only when Sue noticed his discomfort during a birthday lunch that she encouraged him to seek medical help.

Sue recounts how she picked him up from work one day for a birthday lunch, and was surprised to see how uncomfortable he was with every mouthful of food, which prompted her to encourage him to make a GP appointment.

Within weeks, Gordon was undergoing aggressive surgery to remove part of his oesophagus with just a 50% chance of survival. Thankfully, he survived the operation, though recovery was brutal.

During approximately two years of unfortunate struggle that followed, Gordon found it difficult to eat and sleep. Although he was in a state of decline, he still managed to travel, attend his oldest friend’s wedding as best man, and crucially, help form OCHRE alongside colleagues and clinicians he’d met during his patient journey.

A Mission Born from Experience

Back then, OCHRE’s key mission was early diagnosis – a cause close to Gordon’s heart after his own experience with delayed recognition of symptoms. As Sue explains: “My dad’s story was not uncommon – symptoms for many patients were often overlooked as heartburn or indigestion, meaning sufferers ignored, or self-medicated their discomfort for a long time before eventually seeing their GP.”

Even today, twenty years later, this remains a critical challenge. “The situation for diagnosis of oesophageal cancer has worsened in the last few years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and endoscopy services being stripped back,” Sue notes.

Continuing the Legacy

Tragically, Gordon passed away in May 2002 after his cancer returned, metastasising to his brain and liver. “The indignity and unfairness of it can still take me by surprise to this day. It seems impossible that he will never meet his amazing granddaughter, Gemma, and that she, like all his family and friends, has been deprived of this incredible person in her life,” Sue reflects.

Now, more than two decades later, Sue is channelling her determination to continue her father’s work through her Great Wall challenge. As an OCHRE Trustee, she has witnessed firsthand the charity’s achievements – from procuring a LIFE-GI System for detecting premalignant cells at Glasgow’s Gartnavel Hospital to funding groundbreaking research at Queen’s University Belfast into blood-based biomarker analysis for early cancer detection.

The Fight Continues

“OCHRE will keep funding research to support early diagnosis, and campaigning to get oesophageal cancer prioritised by government. We will keep trying to improve outcomes for patients,” Sue emphasises.

Her Great Wall challenge represents more than a personal achievement – it’s a continuation of the fight that her father began when he helped establish OCHRE. Every step along the ancient fortification will be taken in memory of Gordon and in hope for the thousands of people who continue to be affected by oesophageal cancer each year.

Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

Sue’s message to the public echoes the founding mission of OCHRE: “If you have difficulty swallowing or persistent heartburn, it probably isn’t cancer but please do get checked by your GP, just in case.”

This early diagnosis message – championed by Gordon Kee over twenty years ago – remains as urgent today as it was when OCHRE was founded.

As Sue prepares for her monumental challenge, she carries with her not just the hopes of raising vital funds, but the legacy of a father whose determination to help others continues to drive OCHRE’s life-saving work.

To support Sue’s Great Wall of China challenge or to learn more about oesophageal cancer symptoms and early diagnosis, visit our website or contact OCHRE directly.

If you have difficulty swallowing or persistent heartburn, please consult your GP. Early diagnosis saves lives.