Boy whose cancer returned two weeks after remission gets new hope from trial

The family of a teenage boy whose cancer returned days after he celebrated being cancer-free say a new clinical trial gives their son "a fighting chance".

Ethan, 14, was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma - a type of fast growing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (nHL) - in January.

He underwent cancer treatment at Noah's Ark Children's Hospital and enjoyed "two weeks of relative normality" at home in May after ringing the bell to mark the end of seemingly successful chemotherapy.

But when Ethan's pain returned, tests showed the cancer had come back "aggressively".

Ethan has now been accepted onto a clinical trial for a new type of treatment, as his family say they will do "everything we can" for their boy.

Ethan's father Lloyd Griffiths, 56, from Maesteg, said his sports and gaming mad son was in "constant pain" by December 2025 and had lost 10kg (22lb).

"The poor lad was rushed to hospital two days after his fourteenth birthday," said project manager Lloyd, explaining how Ethan underwent emergency surgery to remove part of his bowel on 13 January.

Ethan was back home and recovering for just over a week when a phone call came from the hospital.

"We were walking the dog and reasonably happy and hopeful Ethan would make a full recovery and get on with his life," said Lloyd.

Instead, a biopsy of his bowel tissue found cancer.

"That drive back to the hospital was horrendous," said Lloyd, recalling the "immeasurable stress" as they wondered what would happen to their brave boy.

Over the next four months Ethan underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, getting his first cancer-free result after round five.

"We were buzzing at that point," said his dad.

Ethan rang the bell to mark the end of his cancer treatment at Noah's Ark on 15 May, and then the following Friday he celebrated with his rugby and school friends at Bridgend Athletic RFC by ringing a bell that had been specially engraved.

"It was emotional in front of people he'd been playing rugby with for three years, and the close friends he'd made through that," said Lloyd.

Ethan, who is also a striker for Llangynwyd Rangers, spent the weekend with friends and enjoyed getting back to his old life, which his dad said included "lots of Xbox".

"We had two weeks of relative normality," said Lloyd.

But then Ethan started to get pain and a distended stomach.

Tests revealed the cancer had grown back "aggressively", leaving Ethan struggling to breath due to fluid build-up on his lungs.

Lloyd said relapses of Burkitt Lymphoma could be resistant to treatment, but a clinical trial for a new type of treatment for children and young people had offered them hope.

"The children's hospital in Bristol has an ongoing clinical trial specifically for Burkitt's lymphoma relapses, so the timing is good," said Lloyd.

"It's the flip of a coin, but it gives him a fighting change," said Lloyd, who explained that they had been told the trial had a 50% chance of helping their son.

The trial, which is taking place across the UK in Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester, is looking at two targeted drugs for treating children and young people with B-cell nHL which has not responded to treatment or has relapsed.

People in the trial will have one of two drugs alongside modified chemotherapy.

Ethan began his new chemotherapy treatment at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children on Thursday.

His cancer was graded stage three, and is not in his bones or nervous system.

"You have to focus on the positive in these situations, even small wins," said Lloyd.

"You have take them where you find them."

Lloyd said Ethan's spirits were good, and his mum Rusann and two older sisters were staying nearby in family accommodation at the hospital.

Bridgend Athletic had also set up a fundraiser to help the family.

Lloyd said if the experimental treatment in Bristol is not successful, he will look at other treatments abroad.

"We will do everything we can for our boy," he said.

"Ethan is a quiet 14-year-old boy and I have so much admiration for him after what's he's been through."