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Life Tips 26/06/2025 17:11

A28-year-old mom was diagnosed with a year to live, after doctors had previously dismissed her symptoms as "heartburn" and prescribed acid reflux medication

Georgia Gardiner began experiencing sickness and stomach cramps out the blue last summer, and was prescribed acid reflux medication by her GP.
Georgia Gardiner, 28, began experiencing health issues last summer. She struggled to keep food down and had persistent stomach pain, but doctors initially diagnosed her with acid reflux. Despite visiting her GP multiple times, she was repeatedly told it was just heartburn and given medication to manage the symptoms. However, her condition worsened rapidly, and she lost almost three stone within months due to an inability to eat properly.
Concerned about her deteriorating health, the mother of one made several trips to her GP and hospital, visiting "six to nine times" in an attempt to get to the root of her problems. But she was continually told that her symptoms were related to acid reflux and was advised to continue taking her medication.
After many months of seeking answers, Georgia was referred to a non-specific symptoms pathway, where an endoscopy was performed. The results were devastating: it revealed signs of cancer. Further tests confirmed that Georgia had a rare and aggressive form of stomach cancer, which was incurable.
In shock, Georgia was given the grim prognosis that she may only have a year to live. Any future treatments would only serve to improve her quality of life. Now, Georgia is determined to fight the disease in every possible way while creating precious memories with her two-year-old son, Arlo.
Georgia, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, recalled, "Last summer, I was vomiting frequently. I couldn't keep anything down and completely lost my appetite. I could only eat tiny amounts. I love food—I'm a huge foodie—and yet my body rejected everything."
She continued, "Then I started experiencing severe pain in my upper stomach. It was sharp and constant. I called the doctors to find out what was happening. After waiting four weeks for an appointment, they gave me anti-acid reflux medication and sent me home."
As her symptoms worsened, Georgia visited the doctors several more times, hoping for an explanation. Eventually, after a GP referral, she underwent an endoscopy, which uncovered signs of cancer.
On June 13 this year, Georgia was diagnosed with linitis plastica, a rare and aggressive form of adenocarcinoma that originates in the glands lining the organs. The cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and other internal organs.
Georgia, who had been planning to start a business management course before her diagnosis, expressed her disbelief: "After the first appointment, we were hopeful they could remove the cancer. But when they told me it was incurable, I was in complete shock."
She recalled, "I didn’t speak or leave the house for three days. My world just crumbled. No one in my immediate family has had cancer, and this type of cancer usually affects older people, around 70 or 80 years old."
Georgia tearfully added, "I asked, ‘Am I going to die? I can't die, I have a two-year-old son.’ My fiancé Callum was just shocked. I then asked, ‘How long do older people with this live?’ And he said, roughly 12 months. It doesn’t feel real. It's like an out-of-body experience."
She continued, "I feel physically fine. I was fit and healthy, so it's just baffling."
Georgia, a keen horse rider, is angry that her symptoms were not taken seriously by medical professionals. She is now urging others to advocate for their health if they have concerns.
"I feel that the doctor who finally referred me gave me a fighting chance," she said. "I just wasn't taken seriously before. I kept being given medication and told it was acid reflux or heartburn, but it wasn’t."
"The cancer I have escalates from stage one to four in a matter of months. It makes me angry sometimes because I think if they'd caught it earlier, we could’ve done more to prevent it from spreading," she added.
"I never imagined I would have cancer. I’m 28; I thought I was invincible. But now, I’m going to fight it in every way I can. We’ve brought our wedding forward because we don’t know how much time I have."
"The hardest part is thinking about how much I’ll miss in Arlo’s life. He’s everything to me—he gives my life purpose."
Georgia’s message to others is clear: "If you feel something’s wrong, push for answers and don’t stop. If someone else can catch this type of cancer earlier because doctors are doing the right tests, at least I know I’ve helped someone."
A fundraiser has been set up to help cover future treatment costs and help Georgia create lasting memories with her family.

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