This man's insect bite wouldn't go away, it turned out to be a sign of a devastating condition

A man who initially didn’t make much of an insect bite he sustained, was surprised to learn why it wasn’t healing. Joe Beckwith, 34, was bitten by an unknown insect in October last year. When the bite wound did not heal, he went to the hospital where tests showed he had leukaemia.

‘It’s been awful’

Joe’s sister, Leanne, advised him to call 111 when he began getting concerned over the lingering bite wound. Upon the advice of the call handler, Joe went to the hospital immediately. After some blood tests, he was diagnosed with blood cancer. The Mirror quoted his sister Leanne as saying:

Our world came crashing down.It's been awful - I wouldn't wish it on anybody. If he hadn't gone in he wouldn't have a clue - he didn't have any other symptoms but some night sweats he'd brushed off.

Joe was prescribed antibiotics for the bite while being prepared to start chemotherapy on October 27 in

in the Haematology department in the Bexley Wing at St James's Hospital.

He couldn't see his kids at Christmas. We were all ill over Christmas and because his immune system is so weak it was too dangerous for him to see them.

Financial burden

Last month, Joe was told his leukaemia was in remission. However, he is still undergoing constant blood and platelet transfusions every day. In order to start the next round of chemo, his low platelet count will need to be much higher, the Mirror reports. To raise money to support his treatment, Joe’s future mother-in-law Joanne proposed that the whole family do more than 10,000 steps a day during February.

There's such a massive financial burden from cancer. We really wanted to do something to help Joe so they don't have to just rely on Ellie's (his fiancée) income and he can pay his bills.

The fundraising exercise has so far garnered around £1,500.

Sources used:

Leeds Live: Leeds dad went to hospital with insect bite and found he had cancer

Mirror: Dad's devastating diagnosis after going to hospital with insect bite that wouldn't heal