A lot of times, children are not able to articulate their feelings. This means that parents need to be more intuitive to what their child needs. These parents did exactly that, but unfortunately, it was out of their hands.
Keep reading to know their story and what they went through for their child.
Ethan Adams, an eight-year-old from South Shields, England, is described by his parents as a cheerful and kind-hearted child. One morning, he woke up feeling unwell and informed his parents about a toothache he was experiencing.
In response, his parents quickly arranged for him to visit a dentist. The young boy was visibly upset due to the pain in his tooth. His mother, Tracey, observed that he “became distressed” as he thought the discomfort stemmed from his inadequate dental care.
Upon examination, the dentist discovered that Ethan had some swelling in his teeth, likely caused by an infection. Regrettably, instead of diminishing, the swelling continued to worsen.
When every effort to improve his condition proved unsuccessful and his swelling persisted in escalating, his anguished parents sought medical assistance at a hospital. It was at this facility that they were confronted with the devastating revelation: he had tumors located in both his brain and spine.
What had first been presumed to be a dental infection was eventually diagnosed as a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. This particular cancer is exceedingly rare, impacting roughly 55 children in the UK each year.
The early signs of this diagnosis often manifest as swelling or lumps that may become apparent on the body.
“Our world fell apart,” Ethan’s father, Mark said in an interview.
Ethan’s cancer was found to have spread to his lungs and bone marrow. Consequently, the medical team decided on a rigorous treatment plan that involved both chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Sadly, after nine months of treatment, Ethan lost his battle with the disease at the young age of nine.
Following his passing, his parents were deeply affected and described the treatment methods used for their son as “humiliating” and outdated. In their sorrow, they launched a fundraising initiative in Ethan’s memory to aid cancer research.
Mark, the father of Ethan, described the treatment methods as “embarrassing” and emphasized that they are considerably outdated. They have set a fundraising goal of $62,000, with approximately half of that amount already secured.
Ethan’s family stated, “We do not wish for other families to experience the difficulties we have endured; it is truly heartbreaking.”
In the wake of his passing, the issue of funding research for childhood cancer has been brought to the attention of parliament, representing a significant step forward in ensuring that more resources are directed towards this vital area.
If you found this article compelling, you may also be interested in the following story about a three-year-old who sadly passed away following dental procedures.
Ethan’s death is a tragic reminder of how some areas of research are gravely ignored. Share this with others to get Ethan’s story out there!