'He was almost too weak to move': Walsall man's flu-like symptoms turned out to be aggressive blood cancer
A Walsall man died after mistaking his symptoms for the flu and being diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer.
Brendan Hulse-Lewis had an illness he wasn't able to shake off in October of 2023.
A self-employed dog groomer, Brendan began to feel constantly weak and even struggled lifting dogs out of the bath and onto the grooming table to work.
His husband, Brian, said: “He was well built and strong but became so weak quite quickly.
“He thought he had the flu and called the doctor after about a month of symptoms but by the time the appointment came, he was almost too weak to move. The GP did a blood test and told us to go immediately to A&E.”
Brian drove Brendan straight to Walsall Manor Hospital where he underwent more tests and was then diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a fast-growing and aggressive blood cancer which requires urgent treatment.
Brian, who had been with his husband for 29 years and married for 10 years, said it was "without a doubt" the worst day of his life.
Brendan immediately started receiving treatment including chemotherapy which resulted in him developing a rash, losing his hair and dropping 20kg in weight.
After the third round of chemotherapy, he began to get infections and then developed sepsis.
“I sat with him, he was shaking and had a temperature of 42 degrees", Brian explained.
"They were treating him with ice packs and all sorts and eventually sent me home and I thought: ‘That’s it I’m not going to see him again.’ But they phoned me three hours later to tell me he was through it and getting better.”
Despite the challenging treatment, in Spring of 2024, Brendan went into remission and underwent a stem cell transplant. He was able to return home and began to recover.
However, just 35 days after the transplant, a routine blood test revealed the cancer had returned aggressively.
He was given a prognosis of four to six weeks and died peacefully at home on October 22, 2024, at age 53 surrounded by Brian, his family and their dog Valerie.
Brian, aged 72, said: “Brendan made so many friends in hospital and I’ve kept in touch with some. Two have had their stem cell transplants and are doing brilliantly. Of course, I wish that was Brendan, but I’m pulling for them now.
“To any family that’s got someone with leukaemia I would say keep asking questions of the doctors.
"They came out with so many long names and gave me reams of literature, but I just couldn’t take it in. If you don’t understand something, ask, because that’s part of their job.”
AML is one of the least survivable cancers. According to Leukaemia UK, nearly 80 per cent of those diagnosed will not survive beyond five years.
Dr Simon Ridley, director of research at the cancer charity, said: “Brendan’s story is a reminder of the devastation a leukaemia diagnosis can cause.
"AML is one of the most aggressive forms of blood cancer and survival rates have remained far too low for far too long, with a current five- year-survival rate of just 22 per cent.
"Continued investment in research is vital to developing better, more effective, treatments for AML. At Leukaemia UK, we are dedicated to advancing research and progress into new treatments to stop leukaemia devastating lives.”
For more information including how to help support the life-saving research the charity funds, visit leukaemiauk.org.uk/
