Yahoo News Blyth teen's heartache after losing dad to cancer as mum is diagnosed with the disease for second time
A Northumberland teenager who lost his dad to lung cancer last year is facing fresh heartache after his mum was diagnosed with kidney and breast cancer.
Kyran Kumar, 17, has admitted 'I don't know how long she has left' as she battles the disease.
The 17-year-old from Blyth has bravely opened his heart as he launched his own mission to make a difference and 'to make them both proud'.
The family's heartbreaking story began three years ago when mum Kariann Verrecchia was diagnosed with stage 2 kidney cancer, which was a huge shock to the entire family. She swiftly had surgery to remove her kidney and she went into remission a year and a half after being initially diagnosed.
Kyran's dad Sati Kumar, 47 at the time, was also diagnosed with lung cancer around the same time, and he sadly passed away nine months after he was told the news. Adding to the family's suffering, Kariann was then diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, with Kyran now having to cope with losing his dad while also dealing with his mum's second diagnosis.
Kyran said: "It was three years ago when my mum was first diagnosed and I was 14, so I didn't understand it fully at the time, and I never knew about my dad's cancer until after mum had recovered. It was after he got worse very quickly and passed away that I fully understood the significance of cancer and what it does to families.
"When my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, I looked at it all with a different view, and I have grown closer to her as a result, as I don't know how long she has left. It has made me want to do what I can every day to make both of them as proud as I can."
Kyran decided to try to make a difference and raise cash for Cancer Research UK by walking 150 miles from Blyth to Glasgow, where the family come from.
He added: "I decided to do the walk, and this was hugely out of my comfort zone, but I was determined to do something, so I set off, camping out every night. The thing I had to cope with the most was boredom as I am usually very talkative, but of course my feet and legs were aching the more I went on.
"No matter how tired I was, I just kept walking, as I didn't want to let anyone down who had donated or who would be helped by the money. When I arrived in Glasgow it was the best feeling, and to know that I had made everyone proud made it all worth it."
After he completed the huge challenge, mum Kariann told ChronicleLive how proud she is of her resilient son. She said: "I had sleepless nights while he was camping during the walk over the weekend, but he plodded on and I am so proud of him.
"His dad would be amazed that he has done it, and he would be so proud of what he has achieved. What he did was a real challenge, and it honestly amazes me how brave and strong he has been to be able to do this."
To donate to Kyran's GoFundMe, which has currently raised £880 for Cancer Research UK, visit the page here.
