The dad-of-seven passed away at the age of just 46 after a scan revealed a nine-centimetre tumour.
A dad who was initially sent home from hospital with laxatives after suffering from what he thought was constipation has died of bowel cancer. Kev Coles, from Stoke-on-Trent, passed away at the age of just 46 in March just days after he was given weeks to live.
The dad-of-seven first visited his doctor in July 2024 after enduring stomach pain. However, his wife Kayleigh claims he was sent away. The couple originally suspected he was suffering from gallstones or a blockage caused constipation.
As the pain worsened, they visited the GP several more times where Kayleigh says Kev, who used to work as a bouncer, was prescribed laxatives and repeatedly sent home. But on August 22, things took a turn for the worst when Kev started sweating “like he was under a shower” and his skin turned yellow.
Kayleigh, 36, said: “He started to sweat like someone was tipping water over him and when he looked at me I noticed that he had gone completely yellow. Then he just vomited.”
After weeks of insisting on an immediate scan, Kev received his devastating diagnosis in September last year, when doctors found a nine-centimetre tumour in his bowel. The scan also revealed that the cancer had spread to his liver, which was causing his yellow skin.
But, Kev and his family remained optimistic, and he began chemotherapy in October, until he tragically suffered liver failure on March 9. That same day, Kev and Kayleigh were told that he only had “weeks to a few months to live.”
Due to how unwell Kev felt, he decided to invite all his family round fearing that he “wouldn’t make it through the week.” And, sadly, after his family left their home on March 12, he took a turn for the worst.
At around 10.30 the next morning, surrounded by nurses and with Kayleigh holding his hand, Kev passed away. Kayleigh said: “It happened so incredibly quickly. It was devastating. We expected so much more time.
“I refused to let go of his hand until the funeral director came to get him. I just kept telling him how much I love him. It is almost like he knew. He organised getting our hands cast and his family over the day before he passed. I didn’t believe for a second that he wouldn’t be here anymore.
“Not only have I lost the best person in my life, but I know that the children have lost the best dad that they could have ever asked for. He has left a hole which is impossible to fill.”
He was cremated locally at a “beautiful service” where everyone wore sunglasses as part of an inside joke between Kev and Kayleigh. The £3,000 raised by a GoFundMe page covered just over half of the funeral costs as well as some recliner chairs for Kev’s comfort in his last days.
Since his passing, Kayleigh has formally complained to her GP- who denied all responsibility- saying that she feels let down by the NHS for dismissing his symptoms.
She added: “If he was listened to then things might have been different, we might have had more time together. It’s not okay for someone to be sent away with laxatives after six weeks of pain.
“It is so frustrating that he was just written off. At the end of the day, they did let him down and I am going to fight to try and change things.”
Since speaking out, Kayleigh says lots of people have reached out either in person or online to say that Kev’s story inspired them to push harder at their GP to get examined. She added: “Kev would have been so happy to know that his story helped someone. He wanted more people to have a voice.”
Ann-Marie Riley, chief nurse at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), commented: “We would like to offer our condolences to Mrs Coles and would encourage her to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Team to raise any concerns regarding her husband’s care at UHNM so we can fully investigate these.”
The GoFundMe page for Kev is still open for donations, if anyone would like to provide support to the family, at gofundme.com/f/help-kevs-cancer-battle.
Bowel cancer symptoms
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of bowel cancer are:
- Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
- Tummy pain
- A lump in your tummy
- Bloating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling very tired or short of breath – these are signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer.
You should see your GP if you have any symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more.