'My Memory Started to Fade As He Drove Me to the Hospital,' Says Woman Who Swore She ‘Just' had COVID
In March 2021, the world was still very much reeling from the pandemic. We were slowly clawing our way back to normalcy, but the fear and uncertainty around the disease and its seemingly endless possible symptoms made it the scapegoat for many illnesses that befell people.
Kyle Donahue, a mom of two, thought her extreme exhaustion was just that. She had just finished a ski trip with her son and felt no different while on the mountain. She drove her younger son home from Vermont and headed to bed. Yet, she still woke up extremely exhausted. She stayed in bed-which was quite uncharacteristic for her-so her husband, Jim, made an appointment at a COVID clinic for the following morning. But by then, Kyle realized she couldn't even get out of bed. Jim noticed she was struggling to get dressed, so he switched from the clinic to the ER.
"My memory started to fade as he drove me, and by the time we got to the hospital, I didn't remember anything," Kyle tells Parade. "I don't remember the next 6–8 weeks, but from what they've told me, none of us (Jim, James, and William) were in good shape! I had no idea what was going on, and my family was worried about my diagnosis."
A Devastating Diagnosis
Kyle's CT scan revealed that she needed to have fluid drained from her brain. She was told she couldn't remember the year or the president, so her team knew something was very wrong. After she was flown to Boston for the surgery for an external drain, they performed a biopsy. The result was a glioblastoma.
"Patients can have a variety of symptoms based on the location of the tumor in the brain," explains her neurosurgeon, Dr. E. Antonio Chiocca, Chair of Brigham's Department of Neurosurgery. "They could present with seizures, headaches, and/or neurologic deficits such as loss of speech or memory, weakness, or confusion. In Kyle's case, the location of her tumor led to severe confusion and almost a comatose-like state."
For those not in the know, a glioblastoma is an aggressive type of brain cancer that begins in astrocytes, which support nerve cells. It is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults, but it most often forms in older adults. Currently, there is no cure.
A Hopeful Treatment
However, neither Kyle nor her doctors were ready to throw in the towel. After some speed bumps in approaching how to remove the tumors, Kyle's doctor suggested an innovative clinical trial of CAN-3110 (linoserpaturev).
"It involves an intratumoral injection of the biologic agent," explains Dr. Chiocca. "We perform this in the operating room, but the procedure is so well tolerated that most patients go home the next day or even the same day. We now perform it under local anesthesia with sedation."
Kyle began the trial in February 2022, and for the past 5 years, she has only received positive reports.
"I continue to progress and can feel myself getting back to my pre-cancer self," Kyle says. "Now, I refer to time as BC (before cancer) and AC (after cancer). The clinical trial is definitely working-my blood work is back to normal, my MRIs continue to look good, and I can do many of the activities that I did before the glioblastoma diagnosis. Really, one of the only things I cannot do is ski. If you offered me a choice of skiing or living, I'd have to take living! Jim and I take lots of walks along the coast and through the cranberry bogs in our South Shore town, so that makes up for the skiing!"
Now, Kyle has also immersed herself in the world of art, following her doctor's recommendation to find a hobby she enjoys while she recovers. It became a true passion, and she began selling her paintings to donate the proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund.
While it is great news that the tumors shrank and the trial seems to be working, Dr. Chiocca says they must remain vigilant.
"Is there a prognosis beyond now, or is this a really rare case? A 5-year survival rate is so rare that we don't really have a lot of good data to know the answer."
For now, Kyle is seeing it as a huge win.
"I want people to see hope in my story… for themselves, and for family and friends," Kyle says. "Keep smiling, believe in yourself, and trust the care and treatment you receive. Hopefully, other people and your health will follow."e of gratitude." Keep smiling, believe in yourself, and trust the care and treatment you receive. Hopefully, other people and your health will follow."
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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM.