Kyle Kennedy, a 23-year-old from the UK, was initially told by doctors that he had swollen glands, rather than the more serious condition of cancer that was actually affecting him.
Kyle began to feel unwell in August of last year, experiencing pain and swelling in his neck. Concerned about these symptoms, he visited his local doctor. Despite detailing his symptoms, which included night sweats, Kyle was reassured it was merely swollen glands and advised to take painkillers.
However, his condition worsened, and he woke up one morning with a swollen face, prompting him to believe something more severe was occurring.
Kelsea Thomas, Kyle’s sister, spoke about her brother’s worsening condition. In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, she recounted: “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.”
Following this, Kyle sent his sister a photo of his swollen face. After a second visit to the doctor, he was advised to go to the hospital immediately. Subsequent tests revealed he had stage four diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a fast-progressing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
CT scans showed a mass in his chest, with the cancer having spread to his bowel and tonsils. Kelsey mentioned: “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 [the racket sport] padel. He was always really fit and healthy.”
A GoFundMe campaign was established to help Kyle with the challenges ahead as he undergoes treatment.
The campaign page states: “Kyle is 23, self-employed and has recently bought a house with his girlfriend. He has a big challenge ahead with chemo and immunotherapy. We want to try and raise as much as possible to support Kyle with his nutrition, extra treatment and move into his new home. We also want to raise awareness for Lymphoma in young people.
“We’ll be starting our 50+ mile run on the morning of Sunday 30th November. Anybody is welcome to join us for a few laps and to cheer us on.
“We know the run will be tough but nothing compared to what our mate is going through.”
To date, the campaign has raised £18,000 ($23,451) towards its £20,000 ($26,053) target.