Humans of UK: Johnny Kirkpatrick reflects on lost time and his battle with cancer

By Laurel Swanz features@kykernel.com

This is Humans of UK, inspired by the Humans of New York Instagram series by photographer and author Brandon Stanton. This series dives into the individuals of UK as well as their stories, strifes and passions.

Johnny Kirkpatrick was less than three months into his freshman year of college when he got the news.

He had acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A healthy, varsity soccer player in high school, Kirkpatrick found the diagnosis hard to believe at first.

He started feeling sick in early October 2019.

Like most college freshmen, Kirkpatrick was focused on adjusting to his new environment at the time. He was keeping up with his classes for his chemical engineering degree and making new friends. He even joined the UK mens club soccer team.

But when he tried to play soccer or exercise, he would feel sick and often throw up. He was constantly exhausted and slept at least 10 hours a day.

“I didn’t really know what was wrong and as a normal 18 year old boy, I just refused to go to the hospital because I thought it would resolve itself,” Kirkpatrick said.

When it didn’t resolve itself, he caved and went to University Health Services. They conducted blood testing and sent him home to wait for the results.

At around 10 p.m. that night, Kirkpatrick was in his dorm room getting ready for bed when his phone rang.

He answered to a woman saying she was from the Office of Hematology and Oncology and that he needed to go to the emergency room immediately.

With his parents almost four hours away in his hometown of

Paducah, Kentucky, Kirkpatrick called his brother, who was attending pharmacy school at UK, for help.

“I knew something was very wrong. I called my brother,” Kirkpatrick said. “I was kinda freaking out, and he took me to the ER.”

Around 3 a.m. on Nov. 4, 2019, an attending told Kirkpatrick he had cancer.

“He did not deliver the news well,” Kirkpatrick said. “He was just like, ‘you probably have cancer, like, you have leukemia.’ It was not very comforting. I honestly didn’t have that much of an initial reaction. It was more shock than anything.”

Reality didn’t set in for him until the next night, when he told his closest friends from home that he was sick and cried for the first time.

His brother handled telling their parents.

“He called them and told them to pack a bag for a few days, Johnny might be in the hospital for a little bit,” Kirkpatrick said.

His mother ended up staying in Lexington for six months.

The weeks that followed his diagnosis were some of the worst of Kirkpatrick’s life. He stayed in the hospital until just before Thanksgiving.

Rayleigh Deaton, editor-in-chief editor@kykernel.com

Hannah Stanley, managing editor

Gray Greenwell, copy editor Kendall Staton, news editor news@kykernel.com

Cole Parke, sports editor sports@kykernel.com

Samantha Money & Ali Cetinok, asst. sports editors

Gray Greenwell, features editor features@kykernel.com

Karrington Garland, opinions editor opinions@kykernel.com

Jack Weaver, photo editor photo@kykernel.com

Abbey Cutrer, asst. photo editor

Akhila Nadimpalli, lead designer Allie Hall, asst. designer

Kendall Staton, newletter coordinator

Gracie Moore, Twitter manager Savannah Kennedy, Instagram/Facebook manager

Raven Rolle, TikTok manager

KENTUCKY KERNEL OFFICES

9 Blazer Dining University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506

On the front cover: JACK WEAVER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe (34) gestures at guard Kareem Watkins (25) during introductions before the Kentucky vs. Auburn mens basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

COCAINE BEAR ILLUSTRATION BY ALLIE HALL