Meet Zack Van Aarde, a dad who went from running ultramarathons to facing the toughest battle of his life. At 41, Zack thought he was dealing with acid reflux, only to uncover something far more serious—stage four oesophagus cancer. It all started with heartburn and indigestion in early 2024, but things took a dramatic turn in July 2025 when Zack’s wife, Jess, found him collapsed and vomiting blood.
What followed was a whirlwind of hospital visits and tests, and finally, a shocking diagnosis. Faced with the news, Zack began intensive chemotherapy every two weeks. The couple is determined to explore every option available, even turning to therapies not covered by the NHS, like Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, in hopes of boosting his cells’ recovery.
Zack and Jess are now rallying support through fundraising to help cover these additional treatments and support their family, including their two young children, Joshua and Hannah. Despite the challenges, Zack maintains his fighting spirit, committing to run “one mile” for every £10 raised on their GoFundMe page.
“It’s never easy telling your kids you’ve got cancer,” Zack admits, “but we’re giving it everything we’ve got.” From IV vitamin C drips to red light therapy, he’s pulling out all the stops for the sake of his family.
Join Zack on his journey. Whether through sharing his story, contributing to the fund, or offering words of encouragement, every bit helps this dad fight back with everything he’s got. 💪❤️ #FightBackWithZack #CancerAwareness #FamilyFirst