Danny Lloyd-Jones: A Glass-Half-Full
10 December, 2025
Danny Lloyd-Jones has a rare ability – the ability to harness the power of positive thinking, even in the most challenging times.
The Athlete Mindset
At 37, Danny is a keen sportsman who speaks with the calm restraint of one, too. The way a tennis player might tell reporters they were simply “a bit unlucky today” after losing Wimbledon – that’s Danny.
He uses similar understatement to describe the long list of physical and psychological setbacks he has endured since discovering he had cancer in 2020. Where many might say “total nightmare” or “utterly horrendous,” Danny opts for “not ideal” or “a bit unpleasant.”
His cancer journey continues today and required stoma surgery in 2021, but as Danny told us:
“I’m a glass-half-full kind of a person.”
It’s an outlook that has kept him going through the darkest moments – including the shock of diagnosis.
A Diagnosis No One Expected
After recurring pain and some bleeding, Danny assumed the issue was minor. Blood tests were taken, but no stool sample – his doctor didn’t expect someone young, fit, and healthy to have bowel cancer.
“I thought maybe I had an ulcer or something. I’d never have thought it was cancer… you just don’t think that’s going to be your story.”
That all changed when the pain became excruciating.
Danny put it simply:
“I couldn’t sit down, lie down, or really walk… I knew something was wrong.”
Scans revealed a large tumour – one that couldn’t be immediately removed. Danny needed radiotherapy and chemotherapy tablets first. He was grateful to avoid intravenous chemotherapy… but not for long.
Facing the Prospect of a Stoma
Danny was told early on that surgery would leave him with a permanent stoma – a concept he had never encountered.
“It was the first time I’d ever heard the word ‘stoma’… My awareness was nonexistent.”
Yet compared to the fear of cancer, a stoma seemed manageable.
“If a stoma is what I need to have, then I’m sure I’ll adjust.”
Supported by his wife, Cherida, and a strong circle of loved ones, Danny took the news in his stride:
“It was the side dish to the main course.”
When Cancer Became Stage Four
Up until this point, Danny’s cancer had been classified as Grade 3. But when tests revealed metastasis on his liver, it became stage four. With that, came the intravenous chemotherapy he had hoped to avoid.
The side effects were brutal: heightened sensitivity, permanent neuropathy in his toes, and dramatic changes to his appearance.
“It changed the pigmentation of my skin… and made all my hair straight. It kind of changes your identity.”
Radiotherapy brought further challenges – burns, sensitivity, peeling skin – and a warning that it could affect his fertility. Danny and Cherida had always hoped for children, making this an especially painful blow.
“We wanted to get financially stable before trying for a family… so it was really devastating.”
Surgery, Isolation, and a New Normal
In January 2021, Danny finally underwent surgery to remove the tumour. The operation was successful, but recovery was slow. His bowel stalled, blockages developed, and he spent 19 days in hospital during peak lockdown – isolated from visitors while adjusting to life with a stoma.
“It was a tough time.”
His initial stoma output was extremely loose due to medication, leaving him worried this might be permanent. He also lost a significant amount of weight.
When he returned home, he was physically and emotionally drained – a shadow of his former, resilient self.
But Danny being Danny… he bounced back.
Supported by Cherida, he did his daily recovery exercises, returned to work just ten days after surgery, and even secured a new job.
“My wife thought I was mad.”
The Rollercoaster: Recurrence After Recurrence
Between 2021 and today, Danny has been on a relentless rollercoaster. Each time he was given the all clear, he would “crack on with life” – getting puppies, renovating the kitchen, planning the future – only for the cancer to return months later, including on his lungs and liver.
He has undergone nearly 100 individual treatment interventions, from chemotherapy to new drug trials to ablations he was once told he wouldn’t qualify for. Each time, he responded brilliantly – until the cycle would begin again.
Sport, particularly basketball, has been a source of strength – and its absence during treatment remains one of the toughest psychological challenges.
Still, Danny maintains:
“I’m always trying to be positive. I’m grateful I’ve responded well to treatment.”
The Emotional Weight of IVF
Alongside cancer treatments, Danny and Cherida pursued IVF. Three and a half rounds over four years have been unsuccessful – emotionally draining for them both.
Why persist?
“We just really want a family. We need some kind of light within the tunnel.”
Giving Back: Turning Pain Into Purpose
Despite everything, Danny has dedicated himself to improving the lives of others with cancer. In Shropshire, he has represented two cancer organisations.
With Cancer Care Coordinators, he helped improve access to public radar toilets.
With Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, he supported the “Bins for Boys” campaign – which unexpectedly thrust him into local media.
In March this year, he joined their board of trustees.
“If I can use my experience to help others, then why wouldn’t I?”
No grandiosity. Just Danny’s way of seeing the world.
Hope, Treatments, and Looking Forward
Danny is far from done. New treatment lines continue to emerge, and he knows there are several he hasn’t even tried yet.
“You have to look for the positives… otherwise you could get into a mental spiral and not get out of it again.”
It’s hard not to be inspired by a man who has endured so much yet remains, every day, thankful.
“I’m blessed to see another day.”
Life as a Game
If life is a game, as the saying goes, then Danny Lloyd-Jones is unquestionably playing to win – with courage, humility, and a glass that always remains half full.
