Ryan's Story

Ryan went to the hospital on the 4th February 2021, to have an ultrasound done on his tummy to have found a huge mass. Ryan and I was then blue lighted to Leeds Children’s Hospital where I was told that Ryan has cancer. We then went 2 weeks without knowing what type of cancer Ryan had, the unknowing was awful. Ryan’s biopsy had to be sent to another hospital to get tested, we finally got the results backs and found out he a very rare type of cancer within children. Ryan had a pancreatic cancer called panceatoblastoma. This type of cancer is very rare and hasn’t affected many children in the world, so the survival rate was unknown to anyone. As soon as we found out Ryan started him chemo the next day.

Ryan went through 4 cycles of chemotherapy (3 days at a time), 4 kidneys tests, 4 ultrasounds, 3 bone marrows, 3 x-rays, 1 bone scan, 1 lumbar puncture, 6 CT scans, 5 mri-scans, 6 heart scans, 5 blood transfusions, bloods taken from his hand and hickman line multiple times, 7 high temperatures, 1 nose bleeds, 7 stays in Hull Royal Infirmary (3 days at a time), 7 stays in Leeds Children’s hospital (for weeks and days at a time), 5 small operations, 1 major operation which removed his tumour on his pancreas along with half his pancreas, left kidney and some of his bowel. While they were operating on Ryan, they had found more tumours in his right side, they took biopsy of most of the tumours. Ryan was left with a huge scar across his tummy.

Ryan took all this in his stride, and you wouldn’t have known he was poorly by looking at him, he was so happy, cheeky and full of life. Ryan was his very own character by being full of energy all the time and his own way doing life, by living every moment like it was his last. Ryan had his final CT scan on the 11th June 2021 later that day I go the results. Something no parent should have to hear, there was nothing more they could do for Ryan, his cancer journey was coming to an end. Ryan’s biopsy results came back and all the tumours in his right side was all active, Ryan’s cancer has spread 2 weeks after his operation the tumours had grown bigger in size, he had it in his stomach wall, both sides of his lungs, right kidney, around his liver, pelvic bone and it was growing back on his pancreas again. Because of this they were nothing more the hospital can do.

As Ryan’s mother I had to make the decision on where I would like to be with Ryan for his final time, I made the decision to take him home so he can be surrounded by his families and friends. Along with being surrounded by his things and be in his own comfort. On 15th June 2021 we were going home with loads of medication and a pen drive (24hour medication going through his line). Ryan got home into his bed and made comfortable ready for his final time. The last 2 weeks of Ryan’s life was touch and go, having the nurses come twice a day to check on Ryan and me. We had loads of ups and downs, but Ryan took his final breath peacefully on the 30th June 2021 at 12.40pm holding on to his mummy’s hand with Paddington bear on the telly. Thank you to BSF for this break 💕