Man, 23, Diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer After Doctors Told Him to Take a Painkiller For His Swollen Neck: ‘Devastating’

A 23-year-old man from Liverpool, England, is now battling stage 4 cancer after his initial symptoms were mistaken for simple swollen glands.

In late August, Kyle Kennedy began experiencing neck pain, swelling, and night sweats. After visiting his doctor, he was told the symptoms were likely due to swollen glands and was advised to take paracetamol, or acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol.

However, things quickly took a worrying turn. Kennedy’s sister, Kelsey Thomas, told Liverpool Echo that her brother woke up one morning with his face severely swollen.

“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,” said Thomas, 35. “I kept asking him if he was sure it wasn’t his hay fever.”

Despite the swelling, Kennedy went to work — until his boss sent him home and urged him to see a doctor again. This time, he was told it could be mumps or blocked glands and was prescribed antibiotics.

“He sent me a picture of his face a couple of days later and it had swelled up even more,” Thomas said. “After another GP visit, he was told to go straight to hospital.”

At Royal Hospital Liverpool, Kennedy underwent an emergency CT scan and further testing. Doctors discovered a large tumor in his chest that had already spread to his bowel and tonsils.

Two weeks later, he was diagnosed with stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, an aggressive type of cancer that develops in white blood cells and can cause tumors throughout the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is one of the most common forms of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Thomas said her brother’s diagnosis has been devastating for their family.

“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,” she said. “It’s just absolutely devastating… It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us as a family.”

She added that Kennedy had always been active and healthy.

“He was playing padel every single night until he was diagnosed,” she said. “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.”

Kennedy is now receiving six months of chemotherapy at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, having already completed two rounds. Thomas said the treatment has been challenging but that her brother remains determined.

“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,” she said. “It’s like he’s got this fight in him; he wants to face it head on.”

Friends have organized a GoFundMe campaign and plan to hold a charity run on November 30 to support him.

“He has a big challenge ahead with chemo and immunotherapy. We want to raise as much as possible to help Kyle with his nutrition, extra treatment, and move into his new home,” they shared. “We also want to raise awareness for lymphoma in young people. The run will be tough — but nothing compared to what our mate is going through.”