A mother has spoken of her heartache after her cheeky, four-year-old son died of a rare form of cancer and said she wants to raise awareness of his condition.
Ethan Turner, from Gorton, Manchester, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in May 2016 after suffering with symptoms of constipation.
Doctors found a tumour in his stomach and despite having chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the US, it kept growing.
Tragically, the Manchester City-loving youngster died at home last Saturday, April 6, surrounded by his loving family.
Now, his mother Ashley Morgan, 25, wants to raise awareness of the rare condition because Ethan’s symptoms were so common.
Ashley Morgan, 25, (right), from Manchester, has paid tribute to her four-year-old son Ethan Turner (left) after he died last Saturday from a rare cancer
‘Something so simple turned into something so dangerous and I urge any parents to keep pushing at the doctors if their child’s constipation does not go away,’ she said.
Fewer than 60 children are diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in the UK each year.
Before Ethan was diagnosed three years ago, Ashley and Ethan’s dad Mark Turner, 25, were in and out of the doctors with their son who was suffering from constipation.
‘It was the last thing we could have ever imagined,’ Ashley explained. ‘It was going on for weeks so we took him to hospital where they just gave him enemas.
‘He wasn’t getting any better and was screaming the house down in that much pain.
‘He stopped going to the toilet completely so they gave him a scan and this showed the tumour.
Ethan, pictured, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in 2016 and had chemotherapy. After having an operation in the UK he underwent proton beam radiotherapy in the US
Before he was diagnosed the youngster, pictured during treatment, suffered from symptoms of constipation and would ‘scream the house down in pain.’ He also stopped going to the toilet
‘He had a couple of months worth of chemotherapy to try and shrink the tumour which made him quite sick and groggy. It was no life for a two-year-old.’
Ethan then underwent an operation to remove as much of the tumour as possible but because of his age and the form of cancer he had, he needed a specialised type of proton beam radiotherapy.
The proton beam unit at The Christie hospital in Manchester was not completed until 2018, so Ethan was sent to Jacksonville in Florida for treatment instead.
Ethan and his family spent 11 weeks in the US receiving treatment and then returned to Manchester for further chemotherapy.
‘After that, he went back to school,’ said Ashley. ‘He was happy and went on holiday.
‘And then it came up on a scan and he relapsed again. The cancer had spread to his thighs.
‘He took his treatment in his stride. He was still happy and smiley and he never complained. He was so strong.’
Ethan underwent a further eight months of treatment at The Christie but relapsed again in February this year.
After doctors found the cancer had spread to his lungs, he stopped responding to treatment and became more poorly.
Ashley said Ethan missed his comforts and asked to be taken home when the pain he was in got ‘harder and harder.’
She said: ‘At home he was still bossing me and his dad about. We were all sat around as a family talking about memories.’
Ethan passed away peacefully on the evening of April 6 surrounded by his family.
Ethan, pictured in all his Manchester City football kits, relapsed in February and doctors found the cancer had spread to his lungs. He died on Saturday April 6 at home with his family
‘He held my hand and just closed his eyes,’ she explained. ‘We were all there and it was the best it could have gone. He was not scared.’
Paying tribute to her son, Ashley added: ‘He was a right character, he was cheeky, everyone was wrapped around his little finger.
‘He was loving and an amazing little boy. He was into football and was a massive Manchester City fan. He had all the kits. He loved Mickey Mouse and dinosaurs.’
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Ethan’s funeral costs and a fifth birthday celebration for him.