A nurse who thought she had acid reflux after eating has revealed how she was later diagnosed with an aggressive cancer – and had to have her entire stomach removed.
Chloe Stirling initially thought it was just the result of eating spicy and greasy foods like tomato pasta or takeaways, and she took anti-acids (over-the-counter medications that help treat heartburn).
But the medicine would only temporarily relieve the symptoms, and 16 months on she had severe pains and struggled to eat.
Eventually, the 29-year-old, from St Helens, Merseyside, was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma – a cancer – in her stomach.
She had four rounds of chemotherapy this summer and earlier this month on August 5 surgeons removed her whole stomach and several lymph nodes in a six-hour surgery.
Nurse Chloe Stirling, 29, was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer when she got acid reflux after eating – and had to have her entire stomach removed
Two weeks later Chloe was told the surgery had worked, and she was cancer free.
Chloe, an advanced nurse, said: ‘At first I only noticed the acid reflux after eating spicy or unhealthy food – but it became more frequent.
‘I went for an endoscopy and they found what they thought was an ulcer – I was given new medication but still had the heartburn.
‘Then I got the call to say I have an aggressive cancer – I was given a 50 per cent chance of surviving.
‘I thought I was going to die – I cried every day for about two months because of all the “what if’s”.’
She added: ‘The moment I woke up from surgery, I knew I was cancer free and it was a huge relief.’
Chloe’s heartburn began in July 2022, but in November 2023, she had pain too and vomiting.
Chloe’s heartburn began in July 2022, but by November 2023 her symptoms had developed into stomach pain and vomiting
Chloe went to the GP telling them she had been struggling to eat. She was sent for an endoscopy but all that was found was a small ulcer and a common bacterial infection
When Chloe’s heartburn didn’t stop, she had a biopsy of the ulcer and was diagnosed with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cells on March 21. Pictured, Chloe in hospital
‘I was given a 50 per cent chance of surviving, I thought I was going to die – I cried every day for about two months because of all the ‘what if’s,’ Chloe (pictured in hospital ) recalled
She said: ‘Whenever I ate or drank, even just water, I got a weird pain in my sternum and back. I also had a pain in the right side of my upper stomach.
At the time, she had been taking Ozempic weight loss injections ahead of her wedding to fiancée Aimee, 30, in June 2025.
She stopped and the pains went away – but she remained suspicious.
A few weeks later she went to the GP and told them she had been struggling to eat and feared she had cancer.
She was sent for an initial endoscopy but all that was found was a small ulcer and a common bacterial infection, H. pylori, which is known to cause ulcers.
But H. pylori can also cause more serious illnesses – including cancer.
When Chloe’s heartburn persisted she had a biopsy of the ulcer, and she was diagnosed with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cells on March 21.
It was between stages two and three so hadn’t spread.
Chloe said: ‘I thought I was going to die.’
Her stomach was removed and her oesophagus was connected directly to her small intestine.
She can still eat and digest food despite not having a stomach – but began with liquids and soft foods and has vitamin injections and iron infusions.
She wants to warn others to look out for the symptoms, persist when they know something is wrong, and not to assume they’re safe due to young age.
Chloe said: ‘If your reflux is persistent, go and get it checked out. If you know something isn’t right, advocate for yourself.
‘Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re too young to have cancer, nobody is too young.
‘Cancer doesn’t discriminate and you never think it will happen to you – until it does.’
Her stomach was removed and her oesophagus was connected directly to her small intestine. She can still eat and digest food despite not having a stomach. Chloe pictured with fiancée Aimee, 30
Chloe wants to warn others to look out for the symptoms, persist when they know something is wrong and not to assume they’re safe due to young age
