Bondi TV builder Marshal Keen‘s COVID mystery baffles scientists
A well-known Bondi builder is currently at the centre of a COVID-19 mystery scientists at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital are scrambling to solve.
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Within the space of 12 months, Marshal Keen has battled coronavirus, declining kidney health and now a cancer diagnosis — but he remains the most optimistic he has ever been.
And the reason for his happiness, he sums up with a simple quote.
“He who has the ‘Why’ to live, can bear almost any ‘How’. I read that and I thought I’m 41, I’ve been married, I’ve been divorced, I don’t have any kids. What’s this all for? I’m ready to find out. My motto is to smash this with a smile,” Mr Keen told The Daily Telegraph.
The Bondi builder, as he is known among his renovation and construction clients, is currently at the centre of a mystery scientists at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital are scrambling to solve.
After catching COVID-19 last year after a trip to Austria, Mr Keen faced declining kidney health later last year and later was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma — and the three major health issues appear to be unrelated.
Scientists are now investigating if there is any way Mr Keen’s COVID-19 diagnosis could have caused his cancer.
“I’ve got teams of doctors investigating this and all of them are in different departments and all of them are scratching their heads, thinking ‘to have major health problems at the same time’, it’s amazing to try and figure it out,” he said.
“Essentially, the term has been this is a ‘red herring’.”
Mr Keen said given there is so much scientists don’t know about COVID-19 and it’s impact on the body, doctors are investigating if the virus could have played a part in the two significant health issues popping up at the same time — but it’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions.
“They’ve done a lot of testing to see if there are any cancerous cells in the kidney and they haven’t found any. It’s bizarre. I have good days and bad days,” he said.
“The doctors are working to make sure the chemotherapy gets the cancer. And the renal team at St Vincent’s are going to lengths to try and figure out what the cause is and try to link the two issues.”
With the uncertainty surrounding his health — Mr Keen is focusing on the things he can control such as raising funds to help support cancer research.
The 41-year-old has raised almost $10,000 by shaving his brown locks for the World’s Greatest Shave and is now working to raise up to $25,000.
“I’ve had so much support around me, it’s been so touching. On the back of the messages of support I’ve received, the friends I have, the team that is working around me and all the doctors that are supporting me -- to have that is amazing. It allows me to be positive,” he said.