Young man diagnosed with cancer after symptoms dismissed as swollen glands
Kyle Kennedy, 23, was diagnosed with lymphoma after being told his symptoms were likely caused by swollen glands.
A "fit and healthy" young man was diagnosed with cancer after his symptoms were dismissed as swollen glands.
Kyle Kennedy, 23, first began feeling unwell last August when he developed pain and swelling in his neck, along with night sweats. After visiting his GP, he was told his symptoms were likely caused by swollen glands and he was told to take paracetamol.
But when he woke one morning with a swollen face, he realised something was seriously wrong. After undergoing a series of tests, Kyle, from Liverpool, was diagnosed with stage four diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) - a fast-growing and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
A CT scan revealed a mass in his chest that had already spread to his bowel and tonsils.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Kyle's sister, Kelsey Thomas, 35, said: “That weekend he kept saying to me and my mum, ‘I just don’t feel right, it’s getting worse.' He woke up one morning and his face had blown up, as if he’d had an allergic reaction. I kept asking him if he was sure it wasn’t his hay fever.”
Despite feeling unwell, Kyle went into work the following Monday, but his boss sent him home and urged him to get checked. He went to a walk-in centre, where after waiting most of the day, he was told it could be mumps or blocked glands and was prescribed antibiotics.
Kelsey said: "He sent me a picture of his face a couple of days later and it had swelled up even more. After another GP visit, he was told to go straight to hospital."
Doctors carried out further tests and an emergency CT scan at the Royal Hospital Liverpool, which revealed a large tumour in his chest. Two weeks later, Kyle was given the devastating diagnosis.
DLBCL is the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for around 25 to 30 per cent of cases in the UK. It can develop quickly, but many people respond well to prompt and intensive treatment.
Kelsey said the diagnosis has left the family heartbroken.
She said: "There’s a 12-year gap between me and Kyle. I was 12 when my mum had him, and I basically helped to bring him up. We're really close.
"It’s just absolutely devastating. Six days after we found out, I gave birth to my little girl. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us as a family."
Kyle, who recently bought a house with his girlfriend Molly, is self-employed and currently "not earning a penny" while undergoing six months of chemotherapy at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. He has already completed two rounds.
Kelsey said: "His first chemo floored him. He was in bed for a full week with tiredness and sickness. But this time round, he was only in bed for a couple of days. It’s like he’s got this fight in him; he wants to face it head on.
"He’s such a lovely lad, quiet and private. He was playing padel every single night until he was diagnosed. Considering he had a mass on his chest, he wasn't breathless or anything like that. Every night after work he'd either be going to the gym or playing padel. He was always really fit and healthy."
To show their support, Kyle’s best friends Tom and Joe are organising a charity run on Sunday, November 30 at Sefton Park. The pair plan to run 23 laps of the park - one for each year of Kyle’s life - covering a total distance of 52 miles.
Kelsey added: "He’s got such good friends. I told Tom it was going to be so hard, and he said, 'It’s nothing compared to what your brother is going through. That’s what we’ll remember when we’re running.'"
Kyle’s friends have also launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding page to help raise money while he is unable to work and to raise awareness of his condition. Anyone wishing to support the fundraiser can do so here.