'I thought I just had toothache, then a shock diagnosis changed my life forever'

Daily Mirror

4 days ago

Keshia Liburd thought her pain would be solved with a quick trip to the dentist - however she soon got the devastating news that she had a rare form of aggressive cancer
A mum has revealed how what she thought was just toothache turned out to be an aggressive form of cancer.
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Keshia Liburd, 38, is now having to look to Germany for help as the NHS can't help her. Her problems started in 2023 when the mum-of-three thought her toothache could be solved with a trip to the dentist. She was surprised to be told there was nothing wrong with her teeth.
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By September Keshia was also experiencing pain in her chest. She called 999 and an ambulance took her to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to have an X-ray. It comes after a doctor's warning to people who drink even a 'single cup of tea'.
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After 16 agonising days waiting, Keshia finally was given a devastating answer - she had ALK-positive lung cancer — a rare, aggressive subtype that even often strikes non-smokers with no apparent symptoms, YorkshireLive reports.
'I didn't even have a cough,' says Keshia. 'No breathing issues – just a toothache. Within weeks I was told I had what is now incurable cancer.'
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Despite having treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy available in the UK, there is no NHS-funded targeted drug
Keshia faced several rounds of chemotherapy - which were successful and she became cancer free in January 2024. However just three months later she was given the earth-shattering news that it was back.
On her GoFundMe page, Keisha, who lives in Almondbury, said: "The cancer had returned and spread aggressively — to my liver, lymph nodes, and brain.
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"Since then, I've endured 3 different types of chemotherapy, 30 rounds of radiotherapy, and 3 rounds of standard immunotherapy. I'm now on my 4th round of chemotherapy.
"We're doing everything we can, but the options available in the UK are limited.
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"I've been told that if the cancer continues to grow over the next 12 weeks, my treatment will be stopped. There's nothing more they can offer me here."
"In Germany, there are advanced treatments not available in the UK — including T.A.C.E and Dendritic Cell Therapy — that could potentially save my life.
"These therapies are available at WEGE Clinic in Bonn, but the cost is £40,000 — a sum that's impossible for our family to afford on our own.
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"I'm not ready to give up. I need to be here for my children — to guide them, love them, and watch them grow. They've had to grow up far too fast, carrying burdens no child should ever have to. I want to give them the stability and future they deserve.
"We're asking for your help — no amount is too small. Your donation could give us more time together and access to a treatment that might just save my life.
"From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your love, support, and prayers. We're holding onto hope, and with your help, we can keep fighting.
"With love, Keshia, Jimmy, Josiah, Sienna & Ezekiel"
Now with the support of her partner Jimmy and her children Josiah (17), Sienna (14), and Ezekiel (9), as well as other family members and friends, the fundraiser has so far raised more than £8,000.
'Lung cancer isn't just a smoker's disease anymore — it's a silent killer,' says her cousin, who launched the family's GoFundMe in hopes of reaching their £40,000 goal. 'She deserves to see all of her children grow up.'