Brave young boy recovering from cancer treatment runs to be reunited with his little sister

A mother has shared the special moment when her toddler with cancer reunited with his younger sister while bravely recovering from cancer surgery.

Natalie Ridler, 32, a physiotherapist from Swansea, filmed her two-year-old son Morgan walking towards his sister Rhiannon, one, after abdominal surgery.

Morgan is now enduring eight rounds of chemotherapy and awaiting surgery to remove the tumours from his lungs.

But when Morgan got to see his sister after his surgery in December, Natalie recorded the special sibling bond between the children.

She added: ‘Since she was born, Morgan has adored his baby sister. He asked for her every day in hospital.

‘They weren’t allowed to see each other because siblings weren’t allowed on the ward.

The operation involved opening up his abdomen to remove the tumour. It was hugely complicated because of the levels of steroids this tumour was producing 

Morgan was diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer. Morgan, two, with his younger sister, Rhiannon, one wearing Wales Rugby kits

Natalie first started to notice his weight gain in April 2021 which was caused by his tumour producing cortisol and testosterone

‘Morgan was up and walking and followed his dad to the door and spotted his sister in the pram. There was no stopping him once he spotted her, he’d missed her so much.

‘She’s always looked up to him and loves it when he interacts with her. After not seeing him for two weeks, her reaction speaks for itself.’

Natalie first noticed her son was rapidly gaining weight in April 2021, but it wasn’t until October 2021 that he was finally tested and a 13-centimetre tumour was discovered on Morgan’s adrenal gland.

The tumour was producing cortisol and testosterone, which was the reason for Morgan’s changing appearance, and he was diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer.

But when Morgan got to see his sister after his surgery in December, Natalie recorded the special sibling bond between the children 

Following surgery, scans revealed two small tumours in Morgan’s lungs, this meant the cancer was stage four as it spread before the initial tumour was removed in December

 Natalie said: ‘The tumour was attached to his liver and right kidney, so he needed lose two thirds of his liver and entire kidney. 

‘Surgery was very risky and we were told that Morgan had a slim chance of survival.

‘The operation involved opening up his abdomen to remove the tumour. It was hugely complicated because of the levels of steroids this tumour was producing.

‘Surgery took nine hours and thankfully they found the tumour wasn’t attached to his liver or kidney, just pressed up tightly against them. 

‘The surgeon was able to remove the tumour in its entirety, and Morgan spent three days in ICU.’

Following surgery, scans revealed two small tumours in Morgan’s lungs, this meant the cancer was stage four because it spread before the initial tumour was removed in December.

The surgeon was able to remove the tumour in its entirety, and Morgan spent three days in ICU following his procedure

 Concerned about Morgan’s rapid weight gain, Natalie took him to the doctors where an adrenal gland tumour was discovered

The surgery took nine hours and thankfully doctors found the tumour wasn’t attached to his liver or kidney, just pressed up tightly against them

Morgan is now enduring eight rounds of chemotherapy and awaiting surgery to remove the tumours from his lungs