George’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the proximal humerus
Age at Diagnosis: 44
Date of Diagnosis: 1996
Location: Scotland

Diagnosis: I had extreme pain in right shoulder joint and was sent to local hospital for x-rays. I also had CT scans, and the consultant said they could not find anything significant. My shoulder started to swell badly, and my GP had me admitted to hospital for tests. I was eventually sent to see a specialist in another hospital. We are talking about a 14-month time frame here. At last, I found someone who knew what she was doing. This woman literally saved my life. Give me a professional woman every time. Read more

Chiara’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Proximal Humerus
Age at Diagnosis: 15
Year of Diagnosis: 1993
Location: Virginia

Diagnosis: I started having pain in my left arm during the summer of 1992, when I was 14. My upper arm would twinge whenever I put it above my head. I figured that I just pulled a muscle exercising and blew it off. As the pain gradually picked up in frequency and intensity over the months, I ran out of excuses and accepted that something was seriously wrong with my arm. In March 1993, I went to see an internist here in Baltimore. He was a really nice guy, very warm and knowledgeable, but he dismissed my pain because (of course) my arm refused to hurt during the physical exam. Sitting beside my mom in his office, I was near tears as I was begging for some sort of test just to check out my arm. He relented and ordered an x-ray, smiling a huge “You’ll be just fine” grin as he asked me what I was afraid of. I told him I was afraid it was cancer. I’m sure he heard his response in his head every day for the next year: “Well, I’m a good doctor, and I don’t think you have cancer.” Read more

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