A Peterhead student is facing a brain cancer battle – just months after a GP dismissed his headaches as a migraine.
Jordan Kearney, 22, had been experiencing debilitating headaches for months.
It was only during a trip to the optician that a large mass was discovered during examination, which required emergency treatment at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary within hours.
There has been a huge outpouring of support for the family, with about £9,000 donated to an online fundraiser for treatment less than 24 hours after it was launched.
Health concerns were dismissed
Mr Kearney was in the fourth year of his university course to study International Business Management at RGU but had to defer the last term because of headaches.
But his GP dismissed them as depression or migraines.
However, on Tuesday, June 21, the family’s lives changed forever.
While visiting the optician, a large mass was discovered and he was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) within hours.
A few days later he had become confused and lethargic. An emergency biopsy was performed and a shunt was inserted to relieve some of the pressure.
After two weeks, Mr Kearney was discharged to await the results of the biopsy.
While at home he continued to be extremely lethargic.
The results came around three weeks later. It was a very rare form of brain cancer,
Glioblastoma Multiforme. It was given a grade four rating, which means it is fast growing. It was found to have already spread to his spine.
On July 23, Mr Kearney was re-admitted to ARI after becoming increasingly confused. Imaging confirmed the tumour had grown. It was now so deep-seated that it was inoperable.
He began chemo radiotherapy three days later and will remain in ARI until this round of treatment is complete.
The family’s lives have been placed in turmoil ever since his devastating diagnosis.
‘He is always smiling’
His aunt, Victoria Antonio, said: “We have a close family so it’s really hard.
“He is such a genuinely nice guy. He is always smiling, always. He always works so hard.
“A lot of the community know and love him. It is just so difficult to go through.”
Mr Kearney was born in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, but moved to his mother’s home town in Peterhead when he was a few months old.
He and his family now live in Maud. They make the 70-mile round trip to be there with him in the hospital every day.
Mr Kearney studied at Peterhead Academy and became Head Boy in his senior year.
He also worked alongside his education. His first real job was at Zanres in Mintlaw, He then went on to work at McDonald’s in Peterhead, where he has worked his way up to a managerial position.
He really enjoys the freedom of driving and loves to spend time with his friends and family. The family says for him to be confined to a room is “soul-destroying”.
But they have done their best to brighten up his room with some photos of his family, friends, pets and his cars, to keep his spirits high.
Mr Kearney’s mum Maria has taken on the role of his full-time carer, and has been by his side throughout the entire journey.
Did not want people ‘out of pocket’
She has been living out of her converted camper van so she can spend all her time at the hospital.
She said: “He would do everything to help other people. And even when this came about, he didn’t want people to be left out of pocket.
“He just didn’t want to burden people and he’s a very independent and proud person.
“He is just nice to everybody that he knows.
“But now he realises that people are there to help.”
Fundraiser launched
Due to there being very limited treatment options available in the UK, the family has reached out to private specialist oncologists for their advice.
They are hoping to raise money for some of these treatments:
- Optune treatment, an American technology that would cost £17,000 a month
- A phase two trial of a drug from Germany that would cost around £4,000 a month
- A biopsy for whole exome sequencing, which could find a targeted treatment plan. It costs £5,000.
So far the family have raised about £9,000 towards their goal of £100,000.
To donate, visit the fundraiser HERE.
Conversation