Super-fit runner's asthma diagnosis turns out to be stage 4 lung cancer
A super-fit runner from Yorkshire, who initially blamed her declining race times on asthma, was horrified to learn she actually had stage 4 lung cancer. Vanessa Kendall, a 46-year-old mother-of-two, first noticed her running performance dipping in summer 2024, struggling to complete her usual 5km Park Runs.
Vanessa, from a town near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, did not think much of it at first. However, after her family caught the flu in December 2024, she found herself unable to shake off the symptoms. By February 2025, her coughing had become so severe that she had to mute herself on work calls, prompting a visit to her local GP.
Initial relief turns to devastating news
At the GP surgery, a nurse diagnosed Vanessa as asthmatic and prescribed an inhaler. She felt relieved to have an explanation for her breathing issues, and the inhaler provided some temporary relief for a few weeks. Despite this, she continued running but noticed her condition was not improving.
In June 2025, after discussing her concerns with a friend at a Park Run, Vanessa decided to request a chest x-ray from her GP. A month later, she received the heartbreaking news: she had stage four metastatic cancer that had spread from her lungs to her liver, spine, lymph nodes, kidneys, and brain.
Limited treatment options on the NHS
Vanessa, who is married to 53-year-old Paul Kendall and has two children, Jacob aged 16 and Devon aged 13, underwent a three-month course of chemotherapy. This treatment initially shrunk the main 5cm tumour in her lungs. However, by December 2025, she began to feel unwell again, and CT scans in January 2026 showed further spread with more tumours in her liver, lungs, and brain.
The cancer is a rare mutation called Exon 20, which limits treatment options available on the NHS. Vanessa explained, "It's just a complete freak, rare, genetic mutation, and this is why my treatment options are limited because it is one of the rarest types of lung cancer." She described the diagnosis as "hugely traumatic" and said it left her feeling "totally lost and isolated."
Fundraising for private treatment
With NHS treatment options exhausted, Vanessa is now fundraising to access private treatment. She said, "We have now exhausted the line in terms of NHS treatment and the next most effective treatment is only available privately." The fundraising effort has already garnered significant support, with Vanessa expressing gratitude: "I'm absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of support I have had already, it's unbelievable. Not having that financial burden just means we can refocus our energy on getting that treatment."
Despite the shock of her diagnosis, Vanessa remains active and resilient, having participated in activities like a half marathon in October 2024 and hiking the Yorkshire Three Peaks with her youngest son. Her story highlights the challenges of rare cancer diagnoses and the gaps in NHS treatment for such conditions.
