Teen’s back pain and loss of appetite ‘dismissed’ before mum left in tears
Kit Chester-Canavan with his brother Bodie, mother Amanda and Arsenal players Jurrien Timber, Tommy Setford and David Raya (Image: Amanda Chester/SWNS)
A teenager’s “excruciating” back pain and loss of appetite were eventually diagnosed with leukemia after doctors allegedly initially dismissed her symptoms as a viral infection. Kit Chester-Canavan, 16, began experiencing back pain in three-to-four-day attacks in April last year and sought medical attention with pain that was now “really severe” after flipping over on his bike the following October.
Kit was initially diagnosed with a simple musculoskeletal problem, but after the pain persisted for a month and his mother observed significant weight loss, Kit returned to surgery. However, the family claimed that doctors tried to dismiss Kit due to the virus, so his mother, Amanda Chester (51), asked for a blood test due to her pain, loss of appetite and loss of 15 kilos.
The results revealed that the level of inflammation in his body was dangerously high. Kit, a huge Arsenal supporter who was active and healthy before his diagnosis, was informed that he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Type B) on 28 November 2025.
He has begun chemotherapy, immunotherapy and bone marrow tests to stop the cancer from spreading, and doctors at University College London Hospital (UCLH) estimate his treatment will last two years. Amanda set up a fundraising page to fulfill Kit’s wish to contribute to the Teenage Cancer Trust and provide her with a ray of hope.
Kit, from Bushey, Hertfordshire, said: “I was so shocked when I got the diagnosis. We were at Watford General and they went to talk to my mum in a separate room. “When I went to see her she was crying and when she told me I had leukemia I almost laughed because I was so shocked.
Kit Chester-Canavan in hospital (Image: Amanda Chester/SWNS)
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“It started as a muscle ache in my lower back, it was really painful, it was terrible. After the bike accident it was worse, it was really severe, it was even more painful. It was making me angry but I didn’t think anything about it. You never expect it to be you.”
Amanda added: “Would we be in a different position if I hadn’t shouted for the blood test? They should have been able to see that there was something bigger going on, that there were red flags.”
Kit will have a PICC line in his arm throughout treatment, preventing him from engaging in “his favorite things.” He’s responding well to treatment, and when he’s not watching Arsenal or the UFC during his recovery, he’s planning an adventure in Vietnam, Thailand and Bali, culminating in a bungee jump in New Zealand, a dream he’s been dreaming of since he was eight.
Kit said: “This is just a crossroads for me. It’s a David versus Goliath battle but I’ll come out of it stronger.”
“I really want to go to Asia. I would love to explore the culture, the food. I want to go spear fishing, cook my catch over an open fire, and then go bungee jumping in New Zealand.”
Kit Chester-Canavan (Image: Amanda Chester/SWNS)
“It was a tough time, I was in and out of hospital and in pain but there are good days and bad. “I’m grateful to everyone, my friends, my family and all the charities.
“I got a signed shirt from Eberechi Eze and a plaque from the whole team. Teenage Cancer Trust really supported me and the other boys and did so much, they brought in David Raya, Tommy Setford and Jurrien Timber.”
Amanda added: “We don’t know why she developed this, there’s no rhyme or reason to it. “She’s very stubborn and has always been health conscious, eating tons of fruit and veg.
“As a mother it’s really sad because you do all this and it doesn’t make any difference. His little brother Bodie, 14, found it really difficult. ‘What did I do wrong?’ you wonder.
“We’re hopeful now. She’s so positive, it makes me proud. We use a lot of humor to get through it, and she has an incredible ability to be so strong and brave.”
“But it’s really hard for him, he’s been going through two years of treatment when he should be going to parties and doing everything a kid his age should be doing, but now he’s so vulnerable or sick or tired. That’s why the fundraiser is something, because I want him to have a goal to look forward to. “He’s always been an adrenaline junkie, a complete lunatic who will do anything dangerous.
“We’re so grateful for everyone’s support. Other children at UCLH have really tough journeys, so we want to support them too.
“Kit will have a great future. I’m incredibly proud of him, his positivity is astonishing. It’s meant a lot to both of us, but his strength will shine through.”
