Former Wales Sevens international Ethan Davies has announced he has found a matching blood donor and undergone a stem cell transplant he hopes will save his life.
The former Cross Keys man first revealed his diagnosis back in August and explained he urgently needed a blood donor in order to carry out the transplant to combat the Hepatosplenic T Cell Lymphoma diagnosis that blew his world apart.
Seventeen weeks later, Davies announced the good news on Instagram, detailing exactly how the process has gone and what the next steps are for him.
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"I've got a match! He's donated and this is his bag of life saving stem cells I'm holding," wrote Davies as he posted a picture from his hospital bed.
"I'm posting this at the risk of looking like I'm writing a big long message to all my millions of followers like some sort of celebrity! It's a long read but explains my situation quite well I think. I've had a lot of people ask and this is the easiest way for me to do it! Here goes...
"A week of an extremely intense chemo regime. A week that I'd like to forget in a hurry, but one I don't think I ever will. One day for the body to rest yesterday, with some medication to suppress my immune system ready to transplant. Now here we are today, transplant day, day zero and my second chance.
"I know I had a 'potential' match for quite a few weeks now. It's always 'potential' because the donor can pull out any time! Therefore, with the amount of things that could go wrong I've kept it pretty much to myself. It was easier that way, not to get other people's hopes up and receive loads of messages of support, for the donor to fall through and then receive messages about that as well.
"That may seem like an ungrateful way to look at all the support I've had over these past few months. But it's completely the opposite. I have been so overwhelmed with all of the messages and the amount of people who regularly check in on me. I feel awful picking up my phone knowing that I have messages from several days ago from friends that I still haven't replied to.
"Truth is, not every day has been easy, far from it. And although it's been amazing knowing people care about me, some days I haven't wanted to talk about it and wanted to try to forget that this is all happening to me. So if I haven't replied to a message you've sent, I really am sorry.
"All the horrible treatment is out of the way. We're on to the business end of the show now. Now is when I'm at most risk, while my body is getting used to the new stem cells I'll be taking medication to keep my immune system working at a bare minimum. Which means trouble for me if I come in contact with literally any type of disease or virus!
"I'll be like a 5ft 10 baby walking around for a while, bald, unvaccinated to anything, vulnerable to everything and probably even more emotional towards things than normal!
"I'm so thankful to everyone who has signed up to be a donor (In two years maybe I'll find out one of you was mine!) But that's besides the point, because one day all of you who have signed up will get the chance to save someone else's life and that's what it's all about!
"I don't know the total figure of direct sign ups from my original post but I know it's over the 4,000 mark, which is absolutely incredible."
Following his diagnosis his current club Pontypool held swabbing events and urged people to come forward to increase his chances of finding a match, which he has now done.
Fellow Welsh rugby players Rob Evans, Sam Cross and Elliot Dee offered their support on the post.
"Awesome news mate, smashing it!" wrote Dragons centre Steff Hughes.
Davies also paid tribute to his partner Charlie, saying that he would not have been able to get through the process without her support.
"The list of what she's been doing for me is endless and I'll never be able to repay her- for how she has helped me.
"To say she deserves a medal would be a complete understatement because I can be a miserable bugger to be around even when I'm at full health. I'm sorry that all I can give you from this hospital bed is an appreciation post on social media. But I'll make up for it when we are home and living a normal-ish life again.
"My Charlie is a belter."
Prior to his diagnosis, Davies had signed for Pontypool RFC and was training to be an electrician after finishing his duties with the Wales Sevens team, who he represented at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
In February this year, he was treated for what was assumed to be a viral infection after it was discovered there was a deficiency of platelets in his blood. Medication returned levels to normal and it was assumed all was well.
But the low count returned in June this year and this time Davies also presented with a sore stomach. The medication did not work this time and he went to A&E, where a CT scan revealed that his spleen was twice its normal size. Bone marrow and blood tests later led to his cancer diagnosis.
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