Atlanta native Kenan Thompson says GERD diagnosis is ‘no joke’

The longest-running cast member in “Saturday Night Live” history has deep roots in the south. Now, writing to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, actor and comedian Kenan Thompson shares some advice following a recent diagnosis. And according to a local health expert, they’re solid words to live by.

“It’s part of my foundation and a large part of my identity,” Thompson wrote over email, speaking on what Atlanta means to him in 2025. “I roll with all the teams; the Falcons, Braves, Hawks. I don’t want to say that Atlanta means everything to me, but it definitely means at LOT, down to my accent when I’m relaxed. I’d say that Atlanta is 90% of my personality.”

For the first time, the Atlanta native is sharing his experience living with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as part of a new campaign titled ”GERD is NO JOKE” to raise awareness and encourage others to seek help.

What is GERD?

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, GERD is a chronic medical condition caused by the flow of contents from the stomach upward into the esophagus, often causing heartburn and regurgitation.

With roughly 68.3 million Americans suffering from the disease, it’s a common diagnosis, but it can potentially lead to other complications, according to Piedmont Healthcare’s gastroenterologist Dr. Taiwo Afolashade Ajose.

“It’s a very common disease, and because it’s very common, there’s a tendency to just say, ’Oh, it’s GERD, nothing to worry about. Everybody has GERD.’ But it does have long-term complications,” she said. “GERD is a precursor to a condition we call Barrett’s esophagus. And that condition in itself is a big risk factor for esophageal cancer. So if you follow that, you can really say that GERD is a precancerous condition, if it’s not well managed.”

After being diagnosed, Thompson partnered with the makers of prescription medicine Voquezna, a treatment he says helped provide relief.

“When I learned that GERD affects millions of people in the U.S., I knew I wanted to share my story in hopes of raising awareness about the condition and helping others better manage their disease,” he wrote. “I’ve dealt with terrible burning in my chest, avoided some of my favorite foods, and even had my heartburn affect my voice and sleep, which is tough when your job is to make people laugh. Because so many people are living with GERD, I want to encourage people to speak up and talk to their doctor if they’re experiencing symptoms to find the help they need. I wish I did sooner.”

How bad is the disease?

Not all Barrett’s esophagus patients contract cancer, as people suffering from the disease have around a 1 in 200 chance per year of developing cancer from it. Ajose, however, said it’s still a serious concern when treating her GERD patients, as esophageal cancer has a significantly high fatality rate.

The American Cancer Society estimated 16,250 people will die from it in the U.S. this year, representing around 73.6% of all Americans diagnosed with the cancer in 2025. That’s why Ajose suggests people suffering from GERD speak with their doctors.

“I honestly didn’t know what GERD was until my [doctor] told me I had it, so I believe it’s important for people to understand that it’s a chronic condition that impacts millions of people so they can get the help they need sooner,” Thompson wrote.

“For me, my heartburn started with this horrible burning pain in the middle of my chest. It would affect my sleep because it would happen over and over throughout the night, so then having an early call time the next morning for work was not my idea of a good time. Heartburn was impacting my voice and making it hoarse sometimes, and I needed to maintain the strength of my vocal tone. I would also notice it when eating or drinking anything acidic. And this would affect me on set, too.”

How do you treat GERD?

There are prescription medications available to reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. Ajose has also prescribed Voquezna to her patients that did not respond well to traditional treatments, similar to Thompson.

“Maybe you’ve been taking medication for persistent heartburn but still not getting full relief and thinking ‘this is a good as it gets,’” Thompson wrote. “But don’t give up. Instead, speak up! I know how intimidating it can be to go to a doctor’s office, but I hope I can inspire some folks to talk to their doctor about their condition and the uncomfortable symptoms associated with what they’re experiencing. Your health care team are the only people who can diagnose it properly and get you feeling better.”

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

According to the Atlanta gastroenterologist, people suffering from GERD can also take action with lifestyle changes if they want to improve their symptoms — such as changing your eating and sleeping habits.

“If you’re overweight or obese, you really want to lose weight, especially if most of your weight is in the abdominal region,” Ajose explained. “Because that’s really where we have a lot of problems. Losing weight could actually prevent you from needing medication. I’ve seen cases like that.

“You want to make sure that you are eating at least two to three hours before bedtime, because your positioning — if you eat and go to bed and lay down — that positioning of being in a reclined position can actually increase the reflux from your stomach back into the esophagus and cause you more problems. If you’re smoker, now’s a good time to just let it go — same thing with alcohol consumption.”