PONTYPOOL RFC’s Ethan Davies has undergone a stem cell transplant to combat a rare form of cancer.

The full back confirmed in August that he had been diagnosed with Hepatosplenic T Cell Lymphoma – a rare form of cancer affecting his liver and spleen.

Following his diagnosis, Davies underwent chemotherapy while searching for a blood stem cell donor match.

And now, the former Wales Sevens international has confirmed he had found a donor and had undergone a transplant.

South Wales Argus: Ethan Davies representing Wales at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)Ethan Davies representing Wales at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

“I’ve got a match!” the 28-year-old announced in a statement on social media on Friday.

“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 for transplant.

“Now here we are today, transplant day, day zero and my second chance.

“I’ve known I had a ‘potential’ match for quite a few weeks now. It’s always ‘potential’ because the donor can pull out at any time! Therefore, with the amount of things that could go wrong I’ve kept it pretty much to myself.

“I have been so overwhelmed with all the messages and the amount of people who regularly check in on me.

“All the horrible treatment is out of the way. We’re on to the business end of the show now.

“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.”

South Wales Argus: Ethan Davies representing Wales at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency).Ethan Davies representing Wales at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency).

In February, Davies started experiencing signs of thrombocytopenia, a deficiency of platelets in the blood, which doctors assumed was caused by a viral infection.

After a short course of medication, it was assumed that the condition was resolved as his platelet count had returned to a healthy level.

The low platelet count resurfaced in June, worse than before, accompanied by a very sore stomach after eating. Davies was put back on a course of steroids and immunoglobulin, although they had little effect this time.

After presenting at A&E in July and having a CT scan, doctors realised Davies’ spleen had enlarged to twice its normal size, and he was admitted for testing to discover the cause.

After having blood and bone marrow tests and further scans, Davies was diagnosed with the blood cancer Hepatosplenic T cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.