Kyle Kennedy, 23, got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after doctors initially dismissed his symptoms as swollen glands that only require painkillers.
His symptoms started in August
The 23-year-old started experiencing pain and swelling in his neck in late August. He was also having night sweats.
After getting it checked out, Kennedy – from Liverpool, England – was told that his pain was likely caused by swollen glands and that he should take paracetamol or acetaminophen.
But he realized there was more to it
According to his sister, who spoke with the Liverpool Echo, Kennedy realized the issue was bigger than just swollen glands when he woke up one morning to a swollen face.
“That weekend he kept saying to me and my mum, ‘I just don’t feel right, it’s getting worse,’” she said.
His sister recalled that day
Recalling the day the family realized something was seriously wrong, his sister, 35, said, “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.”
He decided to go into work anyway
Despite the swelling and pain, Kennedy decided to go to work that day anyway, except his boss sent him home and urged him to see the doctor again.
This time around, he was told it could be mumps or blocked glands, and was sent home with antibiotics.
His symptoms kept getting worse
His sister recalled, “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,” she said. He ultimately went to Royal Hospital Liverpool and received an emergency CT scan and other tests.
These revealed he had a large tumor
The scan and tests revealed that Kennedy had a large tumor in his chest which had spread to his bowel and tonsils.
He was diagnosed with stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma two weeks later. This is an aggressive form of cancer.
It occurs in the white blood cells
According to the Mayo Clinic, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a type of cancer that takes place in white blood cells and can form tumors throughout the body.
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The family was deeply affected by Kennedy’s diagnosis, as his sister explained she helped raise him.
His family are heartbroken
“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,” Thomas said.
“It’s just absolutely devastating…It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us as a family.”
Kennedy’s sister praised him
“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,” Thomas said.
“Every night after work he’d either be going to the gym or playing [the racket sport] padel. He was always really fit and healthy.”
He’s now undergoing chemotherapy
The 23-year-old is now undergoing six months of chemotherapy and has already done two rounds, which have taken a serious toll on him, according to his sister.
Kennedy’s friends have also shared in a GoFundMe page that they will be organizing a charity run for him on November 30.
