1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: So Nigel latter has died at the age of fifty eight. 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: He was an author, a psychologist, a broadcaster. People loved him. 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: He was interparenting and healthy eating. Also became a campaigner 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: for the Gut Cancer Foundation. The foundation's chief executive Liam 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: Walls willis rather is with me now, Liam, Good morning, 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: Good morning Miner. Very sad lost. There will be a 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: lot of people aren't listening to this show who know 8 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: Nigel well, who've heard him on the radio, on the 9 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: seen him on the TV over the years. Very sad day. 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 2: It's a really sub d ryne yeah, and look of 11 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 2: first and foremost star Hotscot to Nigel's family, to Nutley's 12 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 2: wife and his children who are obviously hit hardest by 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: this loss. But Nigel was a huge character for New 14 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 2: Zealand and I think the whole country good morning is 15 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 2: lost to him. 16 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: What drove him to be He was very passionate and 17 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: he was very determined. What was behind that. 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: I think Nigel had an incredible positivity to every thing 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: that he did and he really brought that to his 20 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 2: challenge that he faces his face with his stomach cancer 21 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: diagnosis as well, and he wanted to use the challenge 22 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: that he faced to make sure that he could help 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 2: up us. I think that's what really drove him in 24 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: this last year after his diagnosis particular, and he was 25 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 2: really really keen to ensure that we could raise the 26 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 2: profile of stomach cancer and make sure that people were 27 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 2: aware of those symptoms and risk factors and make sure 28 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 2: that people were giving access to the treatment that they 29 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 2: needed as well. So I think that's what really drove him. 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: The GAT Cancer Foundation, what exactly do you do? 31 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,199 Speaker 2: Yes, So at the Gut Cancer Foundation, we support patients, 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: we fund research, we raise awareness into cancers of the 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: digestive system. So that includes stomach cancer, which was what 34 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 2: Nigel was diagnosed with, but also pancreas cancer, liver cancer, 35 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: bowel cancer, a sophageal cancers well, so where it's about 36 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: six thousand patients and so every year that are diagnosed 37 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: with one of these cancers, and unfortunately, for particularly for 38 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: cancers of the other digestive system, that the outlook and 39 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 2: the prognosis is really poor. So it's really important that 40 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: we play a role as a voice for that community 41 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 2: and advocate. But it's also incredibly important when somebody is 42 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 2: such profile as Nigel is so open about his journey 43 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: as well, because it really does help us to bring 44 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: that awareness and profile to these cancers that often aren't 45 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: talked about. 46 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: Are these cancers preventable? What should we you know, what 47 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: if there's one thing we can take away today that 48 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: we should be doing that we weren't doing yesterday. 49 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, I mean a lot of these cancers can 50 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: be preventable. That there are some lifestyle factors that go 51 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: into the these cancers. But I think what's really really 52 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 2: important is to understand your body and to know what's 53 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: You understand your body and you know when things aren't 54 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 2: quite right. So for example, with stomach cancer, if you 55 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 2: get full after reaching, if you're unexpected weight loss, if 56 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: you've got an naisier or bloating in your stomach, that's unusual. 57 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: What's really important is we listen to our bodies and 58 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 2: we don't get it checked out. Because what we know 59 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: above anything is early detection is key. And with a 60 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 2: lot of these cancers, the reason that the prognosis is 61 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: so poor is because the detector is so late. So 62 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 2: the earlier we can get these cancers detected, and that 63 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 2: means getting the symptoms checked out at your GP and 64 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 2: getting those tests that's needed, then the better the chances 65 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: that we can treat the cancer. 66 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: Liam, appreciate your time this morning, Thanks for being with me. 67 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: That is Liam Willis, who's the chief excultive of the 68 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: GAT Cancer Foundation. For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, 69 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: listen live to news talks. It'd be from five am weekdays, 70 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.