An major awareness campaign for oesophageal cancer takes place later this week.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of this cancer, with around 450 new cases diagnosed each year.

The Lollipop Day campaign will take place on Friday and Saturday of this week.

The campaign was launched today by Health Minister James Reilly, who said his mother died from oesophageal cancer.

According to Prof John Reynolds of St James's Hospital in Dublibn, the cure rate of patients presenting with this type of cancer had increased from 25% to 45% since the 1990s.

He said better awareness about the disease had helped improve the cure rate.

Find out more about oesophageal cancer here