Sian Mansell will never forget the phone call that every parent dreads. It was 5.36pm on December 10 when the hospital phoned to say her 15-year-old son's illness was cancer and because there was no time to waste an ambulance was being sent to blue-light him to Noah's Ark at the Heath to start treatment immediately.

It was such a shock for Aston Bevington's family as the talented young footballer and rugby player had always been the picture of health. He was due to finish his GCSEs this year and was hopeful of realising his sporting dreams of becoming a professional sportsman - having played academy football since the age of five for Swansea City.

The Porthcawl schoolboy has been playing football for Pontardawe and hoping to earn a scholarship. His rugby exploits have also earned him a call up into the Ospreys academy having played exceptionally for Porthcawl and Bridgend District this season.

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But his whole world changed about six weeks ago when he woke up one morning with what appeared to be swollen glands in his neck.

His mum thought it was some kind of viral infection so initially they did not do anything, but when swollen lymph nodes appeared under his armpits and in his groin they made a doctor's appointment.

Sian said: "He felt fine and well in himself but I knew something wasn’t right.. The GP referred us for blood tests and told us it was likely to be viral - and potentially glandular fever. He had blood tests and we had the results approximately five days later when it was confirmed to us by another GP at his practice that Aston had glandular fever."

Over the next two weeks Aston was exhausted and the swelling in his neck grew. He started feeling sick and had night sweats and was referred to the hospital where they waited a week for an ultrasound.

"I knew when I saw the consultant's face that day something was not right. He had further bloods taken and was booked in for a biopsy the next day," says Sian. "We never got that far. Just a few hours later at 5.36 pm - I will never forget that time- the hospital rang me. They told me over the phone my son had cancer, we had no time to waste and that ambulance was being sent to take him to Noah’s Ark in the Heath .

"We were blue lighted there. I don’t think I could ever put into words what that felt like. I still can’t believe it some days."

Sian still can't believe the diagnosis. "In words I cannot describe. Aston is the epitome of health," she says. "Never a sickly or unwell child - in fact the polar opposite - I can’t think of a time Aston had ever really been unwell. A sportsman in every sense of the word, tall, muscular and fit."

Aston did not have to have chemotherapy on Christmas Day but he is at the induction stage of treatment and because he has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, chemotherapy is three times a week. He also needs regular lumber punctures and bone marrow biopsies.

For the first 10 days he wasn’t allowed home at all but he is now allowed home to recover on his days between chemo.

It has been very difficult for the family, but they say the support of the rugby and football communities has been "absolutely incredible", his local Porthcawl rugby team shaved their money to raise money and a fundraising page has more than £30,000 donated to help with any rehabilitation that might be needed.

Sian says: "The support is just absolutely incredible. I would go as far as to say unbelievable. The amount of messages, videos, fundraising - it’s just insane.

"The first people to get involved were his rugby and football teams - they’d organised events, shirts, donations and gifts within 72 hours of his diagnosis. And they haven’t stopped since!

"But sense of community in general has absolutely restored my faith in humanity. People from all over are now sending him video well wishes, donating gifts and raising money. Rugby players; football players, fitness coaches, tik tok influencers - the general public as well are just being so kind; thoughtful and generous. Our boy has touched the hearts of so many people and as a family we feel truly humbled and blessed."

The night the rugby players shaved their heads meant a lot to the family and they are so grateful. "The atmosphere that night was euphoric. Aston has a phenomenal group of friends - in his rugby team for instance many of them have been friends since about the age of four," says Sian. "But his circle of friends has become so big through his sport - he has just collected so many true and great friends along the way. It has been made abundantly clear to us and most definitely to Aston by everyone involved that he is NOT fighting this battle alone. He has a whole army behind him.

"We have so much to do yet to get our boy back to good health but we know we have a whole community behind us and that makes all the difference. We will forever be thankful for those who have helped us through this time."