Community
9 February, 2026
Miner beats rare illness
A CAPE Flattery mining worker is continuing his recovery after spending nearly five months in hospital with the rare neurological condition Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
Neil Kenny was rushed by ambulance to Cairns Base Hospital at 2am on 3 October 2024 after several days of flu-like symptoms developed into extreme weakness and paralysis in his legs and arms. His speech and swallowing were also affected.
“We started off with the flu, so we just thought it was just a general flu,” his partner, Rosemary Sciacca, said.
Mr Kenny, 49, said the situation escalated quickly.
“I couldn’t get up off the couch … we had to call the ambulance and it just went from there.”
After several hours in the emergency ward, he was admitted to the Medical Assessment Unit before being transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where he spent a week undergoing treatment.
On 5 October, neurologists confirmed he had Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the network of nerves that carries signals from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. The condition is very rare and affects two people out of every 100,000 per year.
“My paralysis set in very quickly and I couldn’t move my arms or legs. I couldn’t swallow. One side of the face dropped very early within the first day,” Mr Kenny said.
He received immunoglobulin therapy in the ICU before being transferred on 9 October to the rehabilitation/stroke/neuro ward.
“I was fed through a tube, through the nose, a nasal gastric tube … then I still couldn’t eat, so they had to take me to surgery to have a peg put into my stomach,” he said.
Despite early improvement, he was unable to walk, use his arms or swallow safely. During this time, Mr Kenny lost 20kg.
“It can be a very slow journey to recovery,” he said.
From Monday to Friday, he undertook an intensive rehabilitation program involving physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology.
Ms Sciacca said his mindset was critical.
“His determination and his positive attitude … if he didn’t have that, I don’t know, it would take a long time,” she said.
Gradual improvements followed, including a return to swallowing, then walking with a frame and a stick and eventually walking independently.
After spending Christmas and New Year’s Day in hospital, Mr Kenny was discharged on 20 February last year.
“The big thing for me is picking the changes early … if there’s something not right, get in there (the emergency ward),” he said.
He will now continue rehabilitation in the community and is expected to make a full recovery in coming months.
