Kyle's Fund is a Special Named Fund at CCLG raising money for research into acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in memory of sixteen-year-old Kyle.
Kyle was fourteen years old when in January 2018 he was diagnosed with ALL, a cancer of the blood. His parents, Mandy and Ian share his story...
Kyle lived with his mum and dad and older sister Natasha. He was a healthy 14 year old boy prior to his diagnosis. Though lethargic and pale for weeks before we didn’t realise it was anything serious.
He complained of stomach pains early in January 2018. His GP referred him to A&E at Coventry University hospital where he had blood test which revealed he had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. This was a huge shock for all of us. After staying in hospital overnight he was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where they confirmed his diagnosis.
He was given chemotherapy (under B regimen). This didn’t have the desired effect, so he needed to have a bone marrow transplant. The Anthnoy Nolan Trust found a donor and Kyle had his transplant in May 2018. This was preceded by radiotherapy and more chemotherapy.
Much of Kyle’s treatment caused a great number of side effects; nausea, tiredness, and mucositis to name a few. Although this was a gruelling experience, he showed great personal strength to get through it to be cancer free.
Kyle recovered in hospital for several months before returning home in August 2018. He was largely healthy for the next year or so but he needed a top up of stem cells in January 2020 after the levels from his donor had dropped. This caused him to suffer from Graft versus Host Disease. (GvHD). He was admitted to hospital. We expected him to stay for just a few weeks but his case was unusually severe, affecting his liver, skin, and gut.
His condition deteriorated over the next few months and he grew very weak. Eventually the damage to his organs caused him a large internal bleed. He passed away on 29th May 2020 at the age of 16.
Kyle was quiet but popular, chilled and kind. Everyone that knew him commented on his infectious smile. He frequently made us laugh with his playful wit. He had a love of the absurd, often making up silly songs and dances with Natasha. He loved video games and movies. Portal, Harry Potter and Doctor Who were among his favourites. Kyle would often be found playing Minecraft, Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros with his brother-in-law, Michael, and Natasha. Many hours were spent with him and Natasha watching Friends or the Office, always with snacks and sometimes with their cats Bella and Loki.
He loved spending weekends with his grandparents. An active child, Kyle was an athlete for Nuneaton Harriers and a speed walker for Warwickshire. He loved swimming, especially in the sea and supported Coventry City football club and went to games with his dad.
Kyle was smart and particularly enjoyed computer science at school. He and his mother would pay chess together, though the jury is still out on who was the best. Kyle was incredible. His strength and character are unmatched and he is so loved by all his family and friends.
We got to know lots of families at Birmingham Children’s Hospital who were going through similar experiences to ours. We spent months watching Kyle and other children suffer the horrendous effects of cancer and their treatments. We want to support CCLG in Kyle’s memory to help reduce suffering for other families and children like Kyle, and to help give them a better chance of a positive outcome.
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Text CCLGKYLE to 70085 to donate £5.
CCLG will receive 100% of your donation. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message.
You can make a donation or pay in funds raised by cheque, payable to CCLG, Century House, 24 De Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GB. Please ensure you make it clear that the donation is for Kyle's Fund so that your donation is allocated to the correct fund.