A 48-year-old mum from Leeds who was at her peak fitness level discovered a metallic taste in her mouth was a sign of incurable blood cancer myeloma. June Kelly, a triathlete and half-marathon runner, first experienced the symptom in March 2021.
Symptom Leads to Kidney Failure Diagnosis
June noticed she was getting short of breath while running uphill, felt cold, and had a persistent metallic taste that mouthwash could not eliminate. She visited her GP, who conducted blood tests. The next day, she was told to go to hospital urgently as her kidneys were failing. Doctors at York Hospital found her kidneys were working at just five per cent, requiring immediate dialysis and a transplant.
A week later, on March 30, tests confirmed she had myeloma, a cancer affecting blood and bone marrow. The condition impacts more than 35,000 people in the UK and is typically incurable but treatable. Doctors explained that the metallic taste was caused by her failing kidneys.
Cancer Diagnosis Shocks Fit Mum
June described the diagnosis as devastating: "When I was told it was myeloma it completely blew my world apart. I was the fittest I’d ever been in my life and I’d gone from feeling a bit tired and having a strange taste in my mouth, to being told my kidneys were failing and then that I had incurable blood cancer."
She began chemotherapy the day after diagnosis, receiving weekly injections for four months. Despite the treatment, she experienced minimal side effects, only slightly blurry vision. The therapy and dialysis made her feel significantly better, highlighting how unwell she had been.
Treatment and Family Support
In September 2022, June underwent a stem cell transplant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. After four weeks in hospital fighting an infection, she returned home and now takes maintenance chemotherapy in tablet form. Due to her cancer, she cannot have a kidney transplant and requires dialysis three times a week.
Telling her family—husband Adrian, 57, son Max, 25, and daughter Mia, 20—was extremely difficult. June said, "I dealt with it on a need-to-know basis but Adrian read everything. I told the doctors: Tell me what to do and I will do it." Her initial goal was to be well enough to meet her sister's newborn baby.
Living Life to the Fullest
Despite her condition, June remains determined to enjoy life. She and Adrian bought a campervan to explore the UK, including a trip to the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness, with stops for dialysis in Inverness. "I enjoy the good days and just get through the bad," she said. Her goals include seeing her niece start school and her daughter graduate.
Myeloma Awareness Campaign
June is sharing her story during Myeloma Awareness Week, supporting Myeloma UK’s campaign to help others recognize early warning signs. Dr. Sophie Castell, Chief Executive at Myeloma UK, emphasized: "The most important thing you can do is get your symptoms checked. We know that myeloma can be difficult to diagnose, so bring the Myeloma UK Symptom Translator with you to the GP, ask for answers and get to the bottom of what’s causing your pain, infections or fatigue. Know the warning signs, put your health first and help us catch myeloma earlier."
