THE mother of teenage bone marrow patient with a condition so rare it has no name has revealed he could be back home by the end of October.

Doctors says 14-year-old Ethan Greenwood, who has been away from his home for months after his transplant at Newcastle's Great North Children's Hospital, is making good progress but still has a long road to recovery ahead of him.

"Ethan's desperate to go home now, said Mrs Greenwood, 45 of Fieldhead Drive, Guiseley.

"We're hoping that will happen by the end of October. Doctors say he is making progress but his immune system is still low so it will be a long recovery time. We've been told it could be up to two years but we're plodding on."

Mrs Greenwood is staying with her son at a halfway-house close to the Great North Children's Hospital in Necastle where he had his operation earlier this summer and had to spend time in a bubble-like highly-sterile room.

Although Ethan is able to go out to the park now, he still has to stay away from people to avoid the risk of infection. He is also having to go back into hospital every week for regular lung capacity check-ups.

Thanks to teachers at Guiseley School supplying him with homework and to well-wishers at Menston Football Club who bought him a laptop, he is managing to keep up with school work.

"There won't be any school this year but he's keeping up as best he can with his GCSE year coming up. When we get home he will have tuition. His teachers have been fantastic and the laptop has been a massive help," added Mrs Greenwood, whose work colleagues at First Direct are also offering support by raising funds with cake bakes and taking part in sporting challenges.

So far Ethan has inspired more than £6,000 being raised for the Bubble Foundation UK which supports the work of the unit where he had his transplant which specialises in treating immune deficiencies and autoimmune disorders.

Events have included the New Vic pub in Bolton Woods, Bradford, making more than £600 with a fun day and Guiseley Cricket Club also bringing in more than £800 for the Foundation with a 'dads and lads' match, barbecue and raffle for a signed England team cricket bat.

Ethan needed the bone marrow transplant because the life-threatening condition was attacking his stomach, pancreas, liver, spleen and both his lungs.

His justgiving page is at justgiving.com/Ethan-Greenwood2