The family of a three-year-old boy with cancer have been told his treatment is not working, with his quality of life now becoming the priority.
Morgan Ridler, the inspiration behind Morgan's Army Charitable Foundation, was diagnosed with a rare and complex form of cancer aged two in October 2021. After relapsing, his parents Natalia and Matthew have now been told his treatment is not working and the focus will move to palliative care.
More than £20,000 has been raised via an online crowdfunding page to help the Swansea family, which also includes Morgan's younger sister Rhiannon, to create special memories together. You can find out more and donate here. Any unused donations will be given to Morgan's Army. It is the charity which Wales Women fundraised for at their Six Nations clash against England in Cardiff in April, where Morgan led the team out with his auntie, Wales lock Natalia John. The charity was set up to support families of children diagnosed with cancer in south Wales. You can find out more via their website.
Pre-diagnosis, Morgan's parents had noticed changes to his weight which were not matching up to his eating habits. Initially told they were overfeeding him, it was Morgan's weight gain which was the symptom that later led private doctors to diagnose him with adrenocortical carcinoma.
Mum Natalie previously told WalesOnline that doctors found that Morgan had a genetic condition which caused him to be at risk, but children had less than a one in a million chance of being diagnosed with the disease.
When Morgan was first diagnosed, the family were told he would have a 10% chance of surviving surgery to remove the 16cm tumour in his adrenal gland. The tumour was attached to vital organs and wrapped around an artery, but thankfully, Morgan made it through the surgery. But the cancer had spread to his lungs and Morgan went on to receive chemotherapy which started on December 28, 2021. After completing eight rounds - which left him in hospital for a month after he developed viral meningitis and could not walk - Morgan was given the all clear in August, 2022. But, three months later in November 2022, a scan showed that another tumour had grown and he needed major surgery again.
Now, in a heart-breaking update shared on the Morgan's Army Instagram page, dad Matt said: "This is something I never wanted to write or would wish upon any other soul. Morgan was seen by his oncology nurse, and having assessed Morgan, it was clear that his tumours had grown substantially and Natalie was told (as I was in work) that Morgan’s treatment is not working.
"We have both been asked to go to Cardiff on Friday and will be meeting Morgan’s oncologist, who in short, will be telling us that no treatment has worked for Morgan and that he will be transferred to palliative and in due course end of life care.
"Morgan was due to have more chemotherapy on Friday and we have been told that it’s our decision whether that goes ahead, but it is not working and Morgan’s quality of life should be the priority and to make him as happy and comfortable as we can.
"It has also been discussed where he should be when the time is appropriate, at home, in hospital or Ty Hafan and this isn’t something I could ever wish to comprehend.
"My little blue-eyed warrior has fought so so hard and I feel like my heart has been ripped out but I want him to have happy memories and not to wake each day in pain and have no quality of life.
"We appreciate everyone’s support, but please don’t ask us 'have you tried this', 'surely there’s something they can do' - believe me Natalie has been the driving force behind this and if there was ANYTHING that would give Morgan a chance we would try it.
"At this time, neither of us know the prognosis or how long, and it is something that we are discussing whether we actually want to know. As it stands, we want to give Morgan and Rhiannon happy memories, as well as us and want to take trips away, days out as far as Morgan’s health, time and money allow. Forever my blue-eyed boy. My Morgs. My Squishy."
A later social media post from the account said: "Thank you everyone for your kind words and wishes following our news yesterday. We are blessed to have created such a loving community of support. As a family we are determined to live life to the full every day, we won’t be trying to make every day perfect, or hiding from our reality but we will use to drive us to live more and love more.
"If anything this has taught me how love really is stronger than anything, it can’t save Morgan but the amount of love he has created will leave a legacy on this world for long after he has left it. Cancer will continue to ravage families like it has to ours, but Morgan’s Army will always be here for those families. Morgan’s legacy will be that no one fights alone. We will be at their side."
