'Our son died with cancer aged seven and his nurses are still like family to us'

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A Scots couple have thanked those who extended their condolences and offered support following the heartbreaking death of their seven-year-old son. Ethan Hunter was diagnosed with cancer after medics found an aggressive tumour on his right shoulder in 2021, at the tender age of four.

His diagnosis came just a few months after the birth of his twin brothers, Harvey and Ronan. He was soon diagnosed with a secondary cancer around his brain and down his spine, with his family being told he may only have a few weeks left.

The tot heartbreakingly died at around 1.30am on July 14. Four months on, parents Kimberley and Fraser, have opened up on the support they received by medics and NHS staff and said everyone was "fantastic".

The 35-year-old mum told Edinburgh Live: "Ethan was diagnosed in 2021 and we have honestly been in survival mode the entire time. My granda had recently passed away too and we also had the twins so it was one thing after another.

"Even if Ethan wasn't getting treatment we would still be in hospital. In fact, for the whole length of his frontline treatment we were in hospital more than we were out of it. It became a running joke with the staff we would say goodbye and within 24 hours we would be back in.

"He was seen by physio, occupational therapy, audiology, play therapy, a dietician to name some. So it wasn't like he was just in for chemotherapy, there were so many different appointments and we didn't have any time to think about the next appointment or the next situation."

Throughout Ethan's cancer journey, Kimberley and Fraser would also be checked in on by NHS staff to make sure they were coping with things as best they could.

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Kimberley added: "We were just living day by day but everyone at the NHS and the Royal Hospital for Children were absolutely amazing.

"We got an outreach nurse and were given her work mobile number so we could contact her whenever we needed. I could just text her to get advice or help. Even after Ethan's passing, she is still in contact with us.

"The nurses really became family. We felt like we were putting ourselves on the back burner because we wanted to make sure Ethan and the twins were okay, but we received so much support."

To honour Ethan's memory, a tribute has been planned at Ethan's school, Frogston Primary. An oak tree is set to be planted for him at the front of the school and will be named "Ethan's Wishing Tree".

The memorial has been planned by support teacher, Amanda Brand, who worked closely alongside with Ethan. She says pupils will be able to tie ribbons onto the tree each year on his birthday or when they miss him.

She said: "Team Jak asked me to come up with a memorial for Ethan as I worked with him every day for a year when he was able to come in.

"The wishing tree sign is being made by his grandad and my idea of the wishes came from his teddy Mr Ribbons, who is a lion with different coloured ribbons for his mane, who is also buried with Ethan, and ribbons will be tied as wishes on the tree.

"He was my little hero and school isn't the same without him but I will have the memory of him centre stage as I walk in every days.

"We had the sort of relationship where one look or nod would say a thousand words. I knew his ways as he did mine and we just moulded in school and had a bond I never thought I would have with another child apart from my own."

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