A 19-year-old described as a "cheeky chap" died months after suffering from stomach cramps.
Kyle Smith, from Litherland, went to the doctor when he struggled to go to the toilet resulting in cramps in his stomach in May 2021. After visiting his GP, they tested his urine for an infection but the results came back all clear.
Kyle was sent for further tests, and a 15cm by 15cm tumour was discovered in his abdomen in June 2021. The teenager was given the devastating news he had Ewing Sarcoma, a rare type of cancer. The cancer grew aggressively in Kyle's abdomen and impacted his bowel causing his stomach to swell which he described as leaving him "looking nine months pregnant."
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Mum Amanda said when her son was first diagnosed it was not classed as terminal, however, the cancer eventually stopped responding to chemotherapy. After trying alternative treatments which made Kyle more ill, the teenager took the brave decision to stop chemotherapy.
Kyle died in Claire House Hospice on February 23 last year. Amanda, 40, told the ECHO: "He was a proper cheeky chappy. He had a potty mouth like his mother.
"He had a dark sense of humour. When he was in hospital once, the nurses were making cups of tea and he joked he should have a cup because he was the one dying.
"He loved his basketball and he was really good at it. He loved his online games as well. He didn't really like going out, he never went for a night out in town."
Now, Kyle's sister Immie is raising money in her brother's name by singing a song she has written herself in front of Litherland High School. The 15-year-old has set up a GoFundMe and hopes to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer.
Amanda added: "When he was diagnosed Immie started playing instruments and singing to deal with it. She's never really done anything like that before. Kyle's brother Hayden doesn't like talking about it.
"To me and to Immie this is a way of not keeping Kyle alive or remembering him but to try and make it so no child leaves going to the doctor until it's too late.
"We're trying to make it a more regular thing and Immie has done this which is amazing but she wants to carry on. She wants to raise more money Claire House and Clatterbridge."
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