Lorraine’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Distal Femur
Age at Diagnosis: 27
Year of Diagnosis: 1997

Diagnosis: I gradually noticed a swelling of my left knee which was associated with pain and discomfort. I attended my general physician who was reluctant to sent me for any x-rays as I was six and a half months pregnant at that time. I eventually was sent to the doctor in occupational health at work by my boss, who consequently sent me for a series of blood tests and x-rays. He then referred me to a specialist orthopaedic team, who placed me on crutches and I was not to weight bear on my left leg, and an MRI scan was booked. Whilst awaiting for an MRI scan I was admitted into hospital for pain control. My calf muscles on my left leg were wasting away and my leg/knee was very painful. An anesthetist specialized in pain control titrated my painkillers and added in liquid morphine following a discussion with my consultant taking into consideration that I was pregnant. I then attended for an MRI scan and CT scan on the same day and the attended the ultra sound department for a bone biopsy a couple of days later. I was then given the diagnosis of a high grade osteosarcoma of my left distal femur. Read more

Julia’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Humerus
Age at Diagnosis: 20
Year of Diagnosis: 1982
Location: South Dakota, USA

Diagnosis: In late 1981, I was working in a nursing home as an aide. I also had two small children at home and a marriage on the rocks. When I started to experience pain in my arm I assumed I’d strained a muscle and life goes on. As the pain became greater, I limited my activities.

The kids were not picked up as much, driving was difficult at best, and I requested-and was granted-second floor duty and grave yard shift at work where the patients were more ambulatory and self sufficient. My brother picked me up in early October, 1982 and we went to my sister’s house to help her move a dresser. As I lifted my end, I couldn’t suppress a groan. My brother insisted on a visit to the doctor or I was walking home. Read more

Jennifer’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the Pelvis
Age at Diagnosis: 23
Date of Diagnosis: August 1999

Diagnosis: I was misdiagnosed for about 6 months. Even though I had x-rays done, my doctor did not see the tumor right in front of her. I was told to have physical therapy because my doctor thought I had a torn ligament in my left hip. Eventually, when the physical therapy wasn’t working and the pain was getting worse, I was sent to see a surgeon to repair the torn ligaments. The surgeon noticed the tumor immediately from the original x-ray. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever gone through; I was 24 years old. I immediately went to see a surgeon and oncologist, and I had a biopsy, which was very painful with just local anesthetic. 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

Emma’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 16
Date of Diagnosis: April 1995
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Diagnosis: I was told that I had cancer after I had an x-ray for a fall. It was to be the worst news of my life.

Treatment and Recovery: I had limb salvage therapy and intensive chemotherapy. I had my operation in the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, England, where I received a prosthetic knee cap and femur. I was on cysplatin and doxirubicin; I had very bad reactions to them. I had a very difficult time dealing with my treatment at the time. I missed the most important year at school, and that was the last year of my exams resulting in me not having any qualifications. The doctors and nurses were fantastic during my treatment. I had physiotherapy, and it was intensive. I think I had spells of two weeks at a time over nine months. 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

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

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