Latest news with #KieranShingler
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Warrington man's flu-like symptoms turned out to be fast-growing cancerous tumour
A MAN who thought he had the flu discovered his grogginess was actually due to a brain tumour and was given 12 months to live. Kieran Shingler, 26, started to experience a headache, sore throat and runny nose on Bonfire Night in 2022, which he initially suspected was the flu or Covid. The Callands resident did a test, which came back negative, so he and his girlfriend, Abbie Henstock, 26, brushed off his symptoms as the flu. But, as weeks went on, Kieran, a HGV driver, started to feel worse and became unable to keep his food down. His GP recommended he go to Warrington Hospital, and medics there initially suspected Kieran had meningitis, but a CT scan revealed a mass on the brain. Kieran was then transferred to the Walton Centre where he had four operations, including a biopsy which revealed that he had a grade three astrocytoma, a fast-growing cancerous tumour. He underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which started to shrink the tumour, but in his most recent scan, he was told it had started to grow again. Kieran said: "When I was diagnosed with a brain tumour, I was scared, angry, and always questioned why. "I couldn't have got through the past couple of years without the support of my friends and family, but especially my mum and Abbie. "They always made sure to put me before themselves, and I will always be so grateful. "Abbie especially has stuck by my side and remained strong for me as I lost my mum last year. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for." Kieran was experiencing flu-like symptoms including a general grogginess, headaches, a blocked nose and a sore throat. After a negative Covid test, the couple put Kieran's symptoms down to the flu, but they continued to worsen. Abbie, a communications officer, said: "Kieran just wasn't getting any better; he couldn't keep food down, and he was getting excruciating headaches. Kieran after he finished radiotherapy treatment in Feb 2023 with Abbie (left) and mum Lisa (right). Picture: SWNS "He was so fit, he was doing a triathlon, working out, we just knew something wasn't right – this wasn't Kieran." On November 21, Kieran's mum, Lisa, who passed away last year, aged 52, called the doctor, who recommended that he go to Warrington Hospital. There he went for a CT scan, which revealed a mass on the brain, and was blue-lighted to the Walton Centre, Liverpool. Abbie said: "Kieran had an MRI scan and they told us that the tumour was blocking fluid from going to his spine. "They said he would need an emergency endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), a procedure used to treat hydrocephalus, a condition where cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain's ventricle." The surgery was successful, and Kieran started to feel better. He was then taken for a craniotomy to debulk the tumour and take a biopsy. After this surgery, Kieran now suffers from short-term memory loss, one of the side effects from this invasive surgery. While waiting for the results of the biopsy, Kieran started getting a fever and began screaming in intense pain. Doctors said the ETV had failed, and he was admitted to the Walton Centre again for surgery to fit an external shunt – a medical device that diverts fluid from one area of the body to another. On December 29, 2022, an hour before Kieran was going into surgery to have a permanent shunt installed, his family was told that he had a grade three astrocytoma, a fast-growing cancerous tumour. Abbie said: "Until this point, they hadn't told us the results of the biopsy as it was near Christmas. "But on December 29, we found out it was cancer, a fast-growing tumour, but they couldn't be certain what grade. "An hour later, he went down for surgery to fit a permanent shunt. It was all a blur. On January 5, 2023, Kieran met with an oncologist at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Kieran was doing a triathlon when he realised something was wrong with his health. Picture: SWNS He was told he would have 30 sessions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which ended in February 2023, with MRI and CT scans showing the tumour was shrinking. Kieran had a month off treatment to rest before he was due to have six more cycles of a higher dose of chemotherapy. But in July 2023, he was told it had stopped working and the tumour was growing again. Abbie said: "When we found out that the tumour was starting to grow again, they put Kieran on another dose of chemotherapy called lomustine. "The scans showed that the chemotherapy was working, and the tumour started to shrink again." In November 2023, Kieran had to stop treatment because there was evidence of liver damage. As the liver can repair itself, he just needed time off treatment, and every scan he attended showed that the tumour was continuing to shrink. Abbie said: "At every three-monthly scan we attended, we were told that his tumour was shrinking and shrinking. "It had started at 5.5cm and the smallest it got to was 0.35cm with 19 months of no treatment.' "But at his most recent scan in June 2025, we were told his tumour had started to grow again." The couple set up the online fundraising page Kieran's Krew – initially to raise money for brain tumour charities – but it has evolved into much more. The Kieran's Krew team was named Fundraiser of the Year 2025 in the Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards. Kieran, his family and friends have raised more than £52,000 for different brain tumour charities, including the Brain Tumour Charity, and to pay for different therapies at home such as an oxygen machine and red light. To donate, visit
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
How a suspected flu led to a brain tumour diagnosis for a 26-year-old man: Don't ignore headaches, fatigue, and other warning signs
What began as a simple case of suspected flu turned into a life-altering diagnosis for 26-year-old triathlete Kieran Shingler from Warrington, England. Initially experiencing what seemed like routine cold symptoms: a sore throat, runny nose, and persistent headache where Kieran believed he had seasonal flu or Covid-19. However, within weeks, his health rapidly deteriorated, leading to shocking medical discoveries. Doctors revealed he had an aggressive Grade 3 astrocytoma, a fast-growing malignant brain tumour, and gave him just one year to live. His journey highlights how easily life-threatening conditions can mimic common illnesses, delaying treatment. How brain tumour symptoms mistaken for flu and covid-19 On Bonfire Night 2022, Kieran experienced mild symptoms: a sore throat, a runny nose, and a nagging headache. Like millions during that period, he suspected Covid-19 and tested himself multiple times. When all tests came back negative, he and his girlfriend, Abbie Henstock, assumed it was the flu. But this 'flu' never went away. As reported, in the weeks that followed, Kieran's condition deteriorated rapidly. He became fatigued, struggled to keep food down, and developed excruciating headaches—pain that was unusual even for flu or migraines. Surprisingly easy ways to protect your brain and prevent stroke 'He was so fit—doing triathlons, working out almost every day—and then he suddenly couldn't even eat without being sick. We knew something was seriously wrong,' Abbie recalled. Two weeks after his symptoms started, Kieran's late mother, Lisa, noticed how badly he was struggling and contacted their family GP. Concerned about possible meningitis, the GP referred him to Warrington Hospital. At the hospital, doctors ran tests and performed a CT scan, which revealed a shocking discovery: there was a mass on Kieran's brain. He was immediately blue-lighted to The Walton Centre in Liverpool, a specialist neurology facility. Source: SWNS Multiple surgeries and MRI scans uncover fast-growing malignant brain tumour At The Walton Centre, an MRI scan confirmed a tumour was obstructing the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which helps protect the brain and spinal cord. This blockage was causing dangerous intracranial pressure that could have proved fatal if not treated immediately. Doctors explained that surgery was necessary—not just to treat the tumour but also to relieve the fluid build-up in Kieran's brain. First surgery: Emergency procedure to relieve pressure Kieran underwent an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV), a minimally invasive surgery designed to create a new pathway for fluid circulation and reduce pressure inside the brain. Initially, the surgery worked, and Kieran began to feel better. But this was only the start of a complex medical journey, as the tumour itself still needed to be addressed. Second surgery: Removing the tumour and biopsy A few weeks later, doctors performed a craniotomy to remove as much of the tumour as safely possible and take samples for biopsy. While this surgery succeeded in reducing tumour size, it left Kieran with short-term memory loss, a common side effect when operating on critical brain regions. In December 2022, just one hour before his third surgery (to insert an external shunt after the ETV failed), doctors revealed the devastating biopsy results: Grade 3 Astrocytoma—a fast-growing, malignant brain tumour. What is a Grade 3 Astrocytoma Astrocytomas develop from astrocytes, star-shaped brain cells that support nerve function. Grade 3 tumours are: Aggressive and fast-growing, making them more difficult to treat Infiltrative, meaning they spread into nearby brain tissue Known to cause headaches, vision changes, cognitive impairment, speech issues, and seizures These tumours often require multimodal treatment—surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy—but even then, they have a high recurrence rate. Doctors explained to Kieran's family that such tumours are rarely curable and, in his case, he likely had only 12 months to live. To shield him from extra distress during the holidays, his family waited until after Christmas to tell him. 'When I was finally told, I was scared and angry. I kept asking: why me?' Kieran said. Radiotherapy brings hope as tumour reduces to 0.35 cm without ongoing treatment In January 2023, Kieran began 30 sessions of radiotherapy alongside chemotherapy at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. This approach aimed to kill remaining tumour cells and slow its growth. The initial results were promising. By February 2023, MRI scans revealed the tumour was shrinking—a rare moment of relief for Kieran and Abbie amid months of uncertainty and fear. Unfortunately, by mid-2023, the tumour became resistant to the treatment and began growing again. Doctors switched to lomustine chemotherapy, which successfully reduced the tumour but caused liver damage, forcing doctors to stop treatment. Surprisingly, even without active treatment, Kieran's tumour continued shrinking for 19 months, reducing from 5.5 cm to just 0.35 cm—an almost miraculous development. Brain tumour returns in 2025 as Kieran turns to fundraising and alternative therapies The respite didn't last. In June 2025, a routine MRI revealed that the tumour was growing again. After years of fighting, three surgeries, multiple rounds of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and temporary recovery, Kieran was once again facing the grim reality of a recurring, aggressive brain cancer. Determined to turn pain into purpose, Kieran and Abbie launched Kieran's Krew, an online fundraising campaign. Initially intended to support brain cancer charities, it soon grew into a community-driven movement funding alternative therapies like: Oxygen therapy, which may improve cellular healing Red-light therapy, which some studies suggest could reduce inflammation To date, over £57,000 has been raised to support brain tumour charities and provide Kieran with therapies that improve his quality of life. 'At every scan, we hoped for good news. Even when it was shrinking, we knew it could change at any time. Now we want to use our journey to help others,' Abbie explained. The brain tumour diagnosis profoundly changed Kieran's life. Short-term memory loss, chronic pain, hospital visits, and emotional distress became part of daily life. Yet, Kieran remained determined to focus on positive moments, supported by family, friends, and the broader community that rallied around him. 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