Shannon’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the fibula
Age at Diagnosis: 19
Date of Diagnosis: May 2005
Location: New Zealand

Diagnosis: I live in Wellington, New Zealand, was 19, do Tae Kwon Do, and was seeing a physio in Feb 05 for my left leg injured during training, suddenly my right leg started throbbing at night got hot and was swelling up.

I was seeing the physio a few days later so asked him to look at my other leg, he immediately sent me directly to the doctor (like he phoned and said I was on the way now) then he phoned my mum and asked her to meet me at the doctors. My own doctor was away so I saw a locum who sent me directly to the emergency room. Read more

Jennifer’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Fibula
With lung mets
Age at Diagnosis: 13
Date of Diagnosis: 1990

Diagnosis: When I was 13 years old I was walking outside one day and noticed I couldn’t walk without a limp and had a lump around my fibula. I thought I might of fell when I had gone roller skating and just didn’t remember falling. Needless to say a week later I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Of course I didn’t think anything about it being serious. I just thought surgery would be performed and that was it.

Treatment: My parents ended up getting a second opinion. They were told it was just an aneurism bone cyst. So they took it out and took half of my fibula out. A year later the same thing happened. It was back and I had no idea my life was going to change. My parents found another hospital out of state that specialized in osteosarcoma. They tried to save my leg but it was just too risky. I had chemo for a year. I was so depressed. Being sick, losing my hair, being away from home. I was terrified. I was told they were going to have to amputate above my knee. I thought no one would ever be my friend, guys would never like me. You know at the age of 14 1/2, that’s an important time in your life. Read more

Guy’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the fibula
Age at Diagnosis: 13
Date of Diagnosis: August 2002
Location: New Zealand
Team: Dr. French, Dr. Roft, Aukland City Hospital

Diagnosis: Well it all started when I decided to go to a mate’s birthday party. We were being stupid and the B-day boy launched a kick at his brother, and his brother jumped out of the way, and I landed it in my leg (left leg). It was sore for a couple of days and I decided to go to the doctor. My local GP could feel something in the leg and sent me for an x-ray. Later that day after the x-ray we got a house call from our GP (Paula Matheison); this is not normal in New Zealand. She basically said that our lives would be turned upside down and that it was more than likely going to be cancer! Within a couple of days we were seeing a private orthopedic surgeon, and then referred down to one of the kids hospitals in Auckland, where a biopsy was done and tests confirmed high grade osteo! Being only 13 I didn’t really know how to handle it, but I remember it was a shock to everyone in my family. Within 3 days I had had a port put in my chest and I had started chemotherapy. In NZ we don’t wait around, I was sent to Starship, which is the only pediatric oncology unit in NZ. Read more

Stephanie’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Fibula
Age at Diagnosis: 31
Year of Diagnosis: 1999
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Surgeon: Dr. Richard Lackman in Philadelphia

Diagnosis: I had a pain in my left leg off and on for a while, but since I had just started running, training for a marathon for the cancer society of all things, I didn’t think much of it. It got bad in Jan of ‘99 and I ended up in an ER because I could not walk, they blew it off, would not do an x-ray because they told me it was a tissue injury and I just needed rest. Ha. I ran the marathon in June, the pain got worse in the fall. I went to see an orthopedic guy who actually said to me “if it was a tumor you would be dead by now, don’t worry” and ordered an MRI. As the MRI was being done, I saw WAY too many people in the booth. A doctor showed up and said, and I quote, “We are now going to give you a shot of dye to find out what kind of tumor this is”. Just like that. It was awful. I am a nurse and was actually working that day had the scan done on my break. Read more

Jill’s Story

Fibrous Dysplasic Osteosarcoma at the Fibula
Age at Diagnosis: 35
Year of Diagnosis: 1991
Location: United Kingdom

Diagnosis: I had the original diagnosis of low grade central osteosarcoma in 1991 (I have had three recurrences since that time and my journey continues). I had a bad fall on the base of my back whilst carrying loads of files from work (nothing new there!). I prolapsed three discs and completely straightened out my spine! I was referred to the local Orthopaedic Doctor, who arranged the usual barrage of x-rays, including some of my knee as I had complained of an ache in the knee joint since the fall. A five inch Tumour showed on the x-ray, at the head of the fibula, which was a bit of a shock, to say he least..and so my journey began!! Read more