A mother to two who refused meetings by two different GP receptionists has revealed the shock moment she received as little as six months left to live after discovering that she lived with one of the deadliest cancers.

Sibylle Schwarz, a software engineer from Germany living in the city of Leyland, Lancashire, did not think twice when she developed what she thought was a cold in early 2022.

With a young daughter and infantsson, she assumed that she had taken up a nursery from one of them.

She trusted that her symptoms would eventually pass, but began to have serious concern after continuing for several months.

Almost a year after I first got sick, the parent, 40, got that her cough was not a winter cooling but a symptom of something much worse – she had oesophageal cancer and six to 12 months to live.

Mrs. Schwarz just found out his diagnosis after he had to fight over two GP receptionists to see a doctor because they would not take her seriously.

On the first occasion, the receptionist was rejected, refused to book her a meeting and only sent to get anti -paces from the pharmacy – even though she could not swallow.

Two weeks later, Schwarz went back, just to hear to just go to the pharmacy again – and forced her to beg for a time with the general practitioner.

Sibyle Schwarz, a software engineer from Germany living in the city of Leyland, Lancashire, did not initially think as she developed an annoying cold in early 2022

With a young daughter and infantsson, she assumed she had picked up a nursery from one of them – but her cough and sore throat just didn’t disappear. She also developed additional symptoms

Almost a year after getting sick, the parent got her cough was not a winter cooling but a symptom of something much worse – she had esophageal cancer and six to 12 months to live

After a series of further delays, it took another four months for the mother to two to get the test she needed-when it was discovered, she had one of the least surviving cancers.

She said: ‘I went back to a doctor in June and there was another receptionist. But she also said to go to the pharmacy. I told her that I really needed to see a doctor and she booked me for a while.

“GP talked to me a bit and then agreed to send me to get an endoscopy, just to be sure.

“She sat down on a waiting list and I got a call from that department two months later because I was not listed as urgent.

“But at that point I couldn’t already swallow food.”

Since Mrs. Schwarz was still breastfeeding her baby’s son, she could not calm down to have an endoscopy – which led to the procedure, which means that a camera was introduced into the body for internal analysis, and further delayed until the end of October.

“I lost 25 kilos within the four months,” she recalls. “I was in a very bad state. I couldn’t eat. I lost my hair. My iron level was very, very low.

“The surgeon told me they wouldn’t have put me down for an endoscopy if I hadn’t lost that much weight. They didn’t believe me when I said I couldn’t eat food.

“Then after the endoscopy, the surgeon apologized for being so assumption and told me the news that I had cancer. She discovered that it was quite advanced and that I might only have six to 12 months to live. ‘

Schwarz was told, at two separate visits to the real estate doctor, that she would only go to the pharmacy and refused a medical appointment

Two moms were eventually put on the waiting list for an endoscopy but didn’t get a call to book her until two months later, when she couldn’t swallow food

Since the Lancashire woman was still breastfeeding her baby son, she could not be soothing for the procedure – so it was further postponed, until the end of October

While waiting for her endoscopy meeting, Schwarz’s condition only became worse

What once looked like a winter cooling had been transformed into a diagnosis for one of the least survivors of all cancers. She said, “I didn’t know that cough was a symptom.”

Because symptoms of oesophageal cancer such as a chronic cough are so vague and generic – and are often mistaken for heartburn or other stomach problems – there are often no opportunities for early diagnosis.

This can be disastrous for patients. Unfortunately, less than 20 percent of people diagnosed with food cancer in the UK will survive for more than five years.

And the number of cases of the disease is higher in the UK than most of Europe, according to digestive cancer Europe data, analyzed through measures against heartburn for Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month.

The UK has 14.2 cases of oesophageal cancer per 100,000 people – against 3.5 in Italy, 4.4 in Spain, 7.0 in France and 7.7 in Germany, figures showed.

It is one of the least survivors of all cancers.

Schwarz described how she felt when she was diagnosed: “I was just completely shocked.”

After her endoscopy, the surgeon told the mother to two that she had advanced esophagus and may have only six to 12 months to live

Schwarz described how she felt when she was diagnosed: “I was just completely shocked”

Diagnosed one day before her daughter’s seventh birthday, she added: “The first thought I had was that I would not see her turn eight.”

Mrs. Schwarz said: ‘My father died of pancreatic cancer. So I had heard about it and how dangerous it is. And I knew there are different types of cancer but I had not heard of the esophagus cancer.

“Of course, as soon as I got home, I googled it and saw that it’s pretty bad.”

The seriousness of her condition meant that she was quickly tracked for scans as soon as her tumor was found.

Her treatment began six weeks after she was diagnosed, with four rounds of chemotherapy to shrink growth to prepare for the operation.

But in a heartbreaking turn, Schwarz did not work: “Unfortunately, chemotherapy was not really good.”

She explained: ‘It shrunk the tumor in the beginning, and I could eat a little, but then it just grew again. I needed a feeding tube, and I couldn’t even swallow water anymore.

“The surgeon had a time with me and discussed all the results of the scans. She was very pessimistic and said she was unsure if she could take it out through the operation.

After a course of chemotherapy that did not work, Schwarz’s doctor warned her because the operation might not succeed either – but she was determined to try

More than two years after she is told that she may only have six months to live, Schwarz adapts to life after surgery

“I said,“ If you can’t, just close me again, and that’s good. I want you to try. I’d rather die than not try. ‘And she did, and fortunately she could take everything out. ‘

More than two years after she was told that she may only have six months to live, Schwarz adapts to life after an operation that she was warned may not work – and even married in December 2022, just two months after her diagnosis.

She said, ‘I’m doing well now’ and explains: ‘I can eat most things again, of course smaller parts, but I have energy. I can take care of my children.

“I am celebrating 40 years this year. It is in the middle of half a semester so maybe I will go away for a week or something. ‘

She also married in December 2022.

After her trial, the Lancashire woman is only grateful for every day: ‘Yesterday I had a conversation with someone, and he asked me:’ What is your five-year plan? ” As a cancer patient, you aren’t really really like to think ahead so far.

“In five years, my son will be eight, my daughter, oh God, will be in the middle of puberty. It would be good if life just would not change, just everything remains as it is, everyone will be healthy.

“During the treatment I was just thinking about my children. My daughter had already gone through a lot.

After her experience the Lancashire woman is only grateful for each day

“We had a little rough start in her life and then we moved from Germany to Lancashire so she lost all her friends. I didn’t want her to lose her mother too. I always thought about it.

“And of course it was my son, who was just a child and was a very, very big sunshine in my life. They helped me survive.”

With awareness of oesophageal cancer relatively low compared to other types, Schwarz hoped that her story helps others get the treatment they need sooner rather than later.

Her advice to other patients? “Sure push a little more.”

She said: ‘You always have to be the bad patient and you always have to press. I was never that person. I was always waiting for my turn.

“Of course you have to be polite, but you have to drive and advocate for yourself. And if I should have known it, it may have led me to be diagnosed faster.”

The parent is infinitely grateful to the surgeon who saved her: “I am very grateful for my surgeon.”

Mrs. Schwarz added: ‘Although she was pessimistic and not convinced that she could help, she listened to me in the end and more importantly saved her skills and determination my life.

“I will never stop thank her for that.”

The software engineer is now running a monthly cancer support group, which she started in August 2023.

She commented in a post on a local Facebook group that announced the meetings: ‘I am not a charity, NHS or other official organization. I just want to offer a safe space for anyone who needs it. ‘