Dad felt like 'peanut was in throat' before 'horrendous' diagnosis
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A dad who twice conquered cancer within a year has celebrated the "miracle" of innovative non-invasive ultrasound treatment after enduring the agonising effects of chemotherapy. In August 2022 Stuart Emerson, a 60-year-old dad of four and finance specialist, was diagnosed with tonsil cancer when he felt a persistent soreness akin to having a "peanut stuck in (his) throat".
November 2023 brought another challenge: prostate cancer, with the daunting prospect of a prostatectomy that could result in severe side effects. Determined to find an alternative, Stuart discovered the new high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) unit at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH), one of only a handful of full-time NHS HIFU units in the UK, which had opened its doors in December 2023.
Undergoing HIFU treatment at RUH Bath in September 2024, Stuart, who lives near Gloucester, Gloucestershire, saw about 60% of his prostate eradicated without suffering through the invasive impacts typical to surgery or chemotherapy. Stuart has miraculously beaten the odds, surviving two cancer diagnoses in just 15 months. He is now advocating for early detection and HIFU treatment, with the hope of saving others from invasive and debilitating cancer treatments and lengthy recovery times.
“I just want to have 2025 without cancer, without doctors,” Stuart said. “I’m at a stage in my life with my four children, they’re now getting married, they’re buying houses, two of the four are talking about having children, and I don’t want to miss that. I want to be part of our children’s lives and their children’s lives… and I think when you’re in your 50s and 60s, that’s too young to die – there’s so much to live for.”.
