Kim Kardashian is opening up about a recent health scare that hit close to home.
In a teaser for the upcoming season of The Kardashians, the 45-year-old mogul revealed that she was diagnosed with “something called esophagitis.” Footage from the clip shows Kardashian resting in a hospital bed as an off-camera voice asks, “Didn’t your father… isn’t it what he died of?”
Kim’s father, attorney Robert Kardashian, died of esophageal cancer in 2003 at age 59.
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What Is Esophagitis?
According to the Mayo Clinic, esophagitis occurs when the lining of the muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach becomes inflamed, irritated, or swollen. Common causes include chronic acid reflux, medications, infections, or severe allergies.
Esophagitis and esophageal cancer are not the same thing.
People dealing with esophagitis usually experience painful or difficult swallowing, a burning sensation in the chest, or food feeling stuck in their throat. While the condition is very manageable when caught early, leaving chronic inflammation untreated can lead to scarring, narrowing of the esophagus, or a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which slightly increases long-term cancer risks.
Honoring Her Father’s Legacy
The diagnosis brings renewed attention to a cause the family has championed for years.
In 2019, Kardashian joined her mother, Kris Jenner, and sisters in establishing the UCLA Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health in Los Angeles.
“We weren’t able to save his life with this new technology and with the access to these doctors, but now we can help save other people’s lives,” Kardashian shared during a previous episode of the reality series. “There are a few things in life that my dad would be really proud of us for, and this is definitely one of them.”
