Latest news with #bonecancer
The Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Our sporty 11-year-old's ‘growing pains' were the first sign of horrifying diagnosis that's blown our lives apart
ISABELLE Vella's parents were devastated to discover their 11-year-old daughter's 'growing pains' were actually an aggressive form of bone cancer. 'We just couldn't believe it,' her dad, Al Vella, said. 'My wife collapsed at the hospital.' 7 Before the diagnosis, Isabelle, from Cambridge, was a carefree, adventurous girl who loved triathlons and spending time with friends. So when she started complaining of leg pain in April, her parents assumed it was just growing pains or a sports injury from training. But after a GP visit and an X-ray, their world was turned upside down, Isabelle was diagnosed with osteochondroma, a rare bone cancer. The condition affects up to 35 children a year in the UK and usually begins at the ends of long bones, where new bone grows during childhood. "The ironic thing is, before the appointment she asked, 'Is it cancer?' and we told her not to be so ridiculous," the dad said. Isabelle is now in her second round of chemotherapy and faces lifechanging surgery in August. Doctors will either amputate her leg or try to save it using bone grafts or metal implants. Despite everything, Isabelle has stayed upbeat. Just a week after her diagnosis, she sat her Grade 3 drumming exam and passed with Merit. 'She won't be able to do triathlons or contact sports anymore,' said her dad, Al Vella. Childhood cancer explained "I have no doubt that she'll find a wheelchair sport in the future, maybe even go towards something like the Paralympics." Her treatment has been gruelling, leaving her with a feeding tube and frozen ovaries to protect her chances of having children later in life. "She has a massive zest for life but what has been taken away from her has completely destroyed us," he added/ "We have no option but to carry on and be strong for her. 'Devastating' Mum Faye Vella said watching her daughter go through treatment has been "totally heartbreaking." "It was such a shock to see how poorly the chemo made her," she saud, "It is devastating seeing your lovely child confined to her bed and not even be able to talk because they feel so ill," she added. With Isabelle's ongoing recovery set to take several years, her devastated parents have now set up a GoFundMe page. 7 7 7 They say it will help contribute towards specialist therapies, possible prosthetics, wheelchairs, equipment and even the high likelihood that they will need to adapt their home. Faye praised the staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital who have helped them through. "The staff literally picked me up the floor and looked after us both," she said. She calls her cancer Voldemort Faye said she initially "naively" thought the pain was something minor, but now draws her strength from Isabelle. "She's one of a kind," the mum said. "She's scared, but she knows she has to get through this." The tween chooses not to use the word cancer, calling it Voldemort, a nod to Harry Potter. instead. "Despite the pain she's in, she is just so joyful and happy and manages to laugh and smile at things," Faye said.. Al, who had never heard of osteochondroma before Isabelle's diagnosis, is urging parents to trust their instincts if something feels wrong with their child. "My advice to others would be if you have any concerns, get it seen to," he said. "Any aches or pains with your kids, you just never know what it really could be. "Keep pursuing, if you think something could be wrong, don't give up in getting an answer. "We never could have imagined this could have been the outcome and are so glad we got it checked when we did'". 7 7 Red flag symptoms of bone cancers Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children. Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children. Tumours can appear in any bone in the body, but they mostly occur in the bones on either side of the knee and in the upper arm. It mainly affects children and young adults under the age of 25 and has a survival rate of 65 per cent, according to Children with Cancer UK. Ewing sarcoma is the second most common type of bone cancer in children that mainly affects legs, pelvis, arms and ribs. Children suffering from osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma may experience: Bone pain – this may come and go initially but then become more persistent Tenderness Redness Swelling Fracture may occur after a minor injury at the site of the weakened bone According to CCLG, pain tends to be the most common symptom of bone cancer and this will often be worse at night. There may also be some swelling in the affected area if the tumour is close to the surface of the body and it may become tender to touch.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I thought my sporty 11-year-old girl had growing pains... it turned out to be an aggressive bone cancer
A family have shared their heartbreak after their 11-year-old daughter's suspected 'growing pains' turned out to be early signs of an aggressive bone cancer. Isabelle Vella, of Cambridgeshire, was once a 'carefree, adventurous and happy' child who frequently enjoyed partaking in triathlon events and spending time with her friends. While she had begun to complain to her parents of nagging pains in her leg in April, her parents assured her that it was simply 'growing pains' or a torn ligament due to her triathlon training. But the reality was to be far worse. Just days later, following a trip to the GP and further X-ray, both her and her parents' lives were 'blown apart' at the devastating news that Isabelle, then limping, had Osteochondroma, a rare bone cancer. Affecting up to 35 children in the UK each year, the condition often starts at the end of the long bones, where new bone tissue forms as a young person grows. Speaking about the devastating diagnosis the family received in April, Isabelle's father, Al Vella, told MailOnline: 'My wife took her to the doctor while I was at work. We just couldn't believe it, my wife collapsed at the hospital. We were both in pieces on the phone. 'Isabelle is very bright, she knew straight away what it was. The ironic thing is that prior to the appointment she had asked us "is it cancer?" and we had told her not to be so ridiculous.' With Isabelle's ongoing recovery set to take several years, her devastated parents have now set up a GoFundMe page to help contribute towards specialist therapies, possible prosthetics, wheelchairs, equipment and even the high likelihood that they will need to adapt their home. Isabelle is currently receiving her second round of chemotherapy treatment and at the start of August faces either an amputation of her right leg or several complex limb salvage operations in which as much of her leg as possible will be saved using bone grafts or metal implants. Despite her intense treatment and frequent hospital visits, Mr Al Vella said that his little girl has continued to 'remain smiling'. As an avid drummer, she even took her Grade three drumming exam just one week after her diagnosis, achieving a Merit grade. Her father added: 'She won't be able to do a triathlon anymore or any contact sports going forward. I have no doubt that she'll find a wheelchair sport in the future, maybe even go towards something like the Paralympics. 'There are so many unknowns at the moment. She's had her ovaries removed and frozen which they can hopefully put back in later in life and a peg in her stomach to feed her. 'She has a massive zest for life but what has been taken away from her has completely destroyed us. We have no option but to carry on and be strong for her.' Meanwhile, her heartbroken mother, Faye Vella, said that while she worries how her daughter will hope with the 'gruelling' rehabilitation process, Isabelle 'surprises us all of the time' with her resilience. Describing how she 'naively' believed her daughter's pain would only be something minor, she added: 'We get our strength from her. She is one of a kind. She is scared but she knows that she needs to go through this. 'I know it sounds silly but it was such a shock to see how poorly the chemo made her. It is devastating seeing your lovely child confined to her bed and not even be able to talk because they feel so ill. Just totally heartbreaking.' Praising the 'incredible' NHS staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital that have continued to treat Isabelle, Ms Vella added: 'When Isabelle was diagnosed I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I don't really remember too much about it, but I asked them to look after Isabelle while I tried to make sense of it. 'The staff literally picked me up the floor and looked after us both.' As the family anxiously prepare for the future ahead and attempt to navigate their young daughter's new reality, Mr and Ms Vella say they are continuing to strive for the 'happiest, most active life possible' for their little 'pocket rocket'. Mr Vella said: 'This tumour has completely changed our world but we are so grateful for Isabelle's quirky and funny nature, she is just a force. 'She chooses not to use the word cancer, calling it Voldermort, a nod to Harry Potter. Despite the pain she's in, she is just so joyful and happy and manages to laugh and smile at things. 'She just wanted to be a triathlete who played the drums. We can't do this alone.' Mr Vella, who said that he had never even heard of Osteochoma prior to his daughter's diagnosis, also issued an urgent warning to parents that may hold reservations or concerns regarding their children's 'aches and pains'. He added: 'My advice to others would be if you have any concerns, get it seen to. 'Any aches or pains with your kids, you just never know what it really could be. 'Keep pursuing, if you think something could be wrong, don't give up in getting an answer. We never could have imagined this could have been the outcome and are so glad we got it checked when we did'. If you want to help Isabelle and her family, visit her GoFundMe.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Tessa bumped into a classmate during school sport at 16. But her 'sore shoulder' was a sign of something far more sinister going on in her body...
When 16-year-old Tessa McHugh brushed shoulders with a classmate during a casual game of school sport, she didn't think twice about it. 'It was just a little bump,' the now-25-year-old, from Adelaide, told FEMAIL. 'But the pain in my shoulder wouldn't go away.' What started as a dull ache soon became something far more serious. The initial bump had highlighted a sinister growth lurking in her body. 'I mentioned it to Mum in passing and she felt a large lump on my shoulder blade,' she recalled. A routine GP visit quickly turned into a series of scans and tests. Within two weeks, doctors delivered devastating news: Tessa had stage-two chondrosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. 'I'd never even heard of sarcoma, let alone chondrosarcoma,' she said. 'It was confronting and distressing to hear that at 16.' Unlike other cancers, chondrosarcoma is notoriously resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The only treatment is surgical removal of the tumour, and in Tessa's case, it wouldn't just be one operation. Just six weeks after her diagnosis, she underwent her first surgery at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital. Surgeons performed a subtotal scapulectomy, removing a large portion of her shoulder blade and surrounding muscle. 'The pain was a persistent ache,' she said, 'and it affected how much I could move my arm.' But that was just the beginning. Complications followed the initial surgery, and Tessa underwent two more operations to manage damage from the invasive procedure. And then came the unthinkable: the cancer returned. Not once, but three times. Each time, it was discovered during routine scans. This meant going back into hospital and preparing for yet another surgery. Between January 2016 and March 2018, Tessa endured six major surgeries, spaced just months apart. 'There were definitely lots of moments when I was really tired and frustrated,' she said. 'I'd just heal from one surgery, and then I'd have a scan that showed another tumour.' Despite the emotional toll, she never hesitated to continue treatment. 'Knowing that surgery was my only option, I just had to keep going,' she said. While many teenagers worry about exams and friendships, Tessa was navigating hospital corridors and post-op recoveries. But school became her anchor. 'School was something normal while all of these medical things were happening,' she explained. 'It gave me a sense of consistency. I actually enjoyed going when I was able.' Teachers and friends rallied around her, and her close-knit family were by her side every step of the way. 'My mum, dad, older brother and uncle - who is a medical professional - were my biggest supports,' she said. 'They were always there for appointments and helped out when my arm was in a sling.' It's now been nearly a decade since her diagnosis, and Tessa has learned to live with the long-term effects of her surgeries. 'I can't really lift my arm above my head,' she said. 'So a lot of over-the-shoulder movements are out. But I focus on what I can do, not what I can't.' She's careful not to overstrain herself, adjusting her daily routine to suit her physical limits. 'The human body is amazing,' she reflected. 'I've adapted.' Growing up, she was an avid horse rider - a passion that had to be put on hold. 'After surgery, there's always a long recovery period. I had to be really mindful about healing before doing anything too active.' But throughout her recovery, nature and animals became a source of comfort. Living on a large property, Tessa found peace in the outdoors. 'I've always been connected to nature. Spending time with my pets and being outside was really important for my mental health.' That deep connection to healing eventually shaped her future. Today, she works as a provisional psychologist, helping others navigate trauma and hardship. 'Cancer doesn't define who I am,' she said. 'But it has shaped my perspective and values. Going through it during adolescence - when you're still figuring out who you are - has had a huge impact.' Though she's in remission, Tessa continues to have yearly scans. She'll reach her 10-year milestone in 2028, after which regular checks will stop. Until then, the fear of recurrence still lingers. 'The anxiety that it's going to come back is very real,' she said. 'Because it already did - three times.' And while she's been told the tumour may have been growing for up to nine months before diagnosis, there were no warning signs until that fateful bump at school. 'I had no idea anything was wrong,' she said. 'It just felt like a sore shoulder.' Tessa hopes her story encourages others to listen to their bodies and seek help when something doesn't feel right. She also wants young people going through cancer to know they're not alone. For Tessa, that strength was forged through pain, persistence, and the love of family, nature, and community. She may not lift her arm above her head anymore, but she holds her head high. In line with Sarcoma Awareness Month (July) ANZSA is calling on people to register for The Great Sarcoma Plankathon, a national fundraising event to support sarcoma research by planking for 60 minutes across the month. Funds raised through the Plankathon will go directly towards sarcoma research and clinical trials co-ordinated by ANZSA, with the aim of improving survival rates and quality of life for those diagnosed.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
PSG fuelled by Enrique's refusal to run from tragedy: Manager of French champions lost his daughter in 2019 but will use her memory to inspire him against Chelsea, writes KIERAN GILL
Her name was Xana. She was Luis Enrique's daughter. She died on August 29, 2019, of bone cancer at nine years old, and Enrique will tell you that wherever he goes, she goes, too. In spirit if not in body. They are a family at Paris Saint-Germain and it is hard to resent the success they have finally found beyond their domestic domination in France. Enrique is an enormous reason for that, with the Parisians intent on beating Chelsea tomorrow so they can say they rule the world as well as Europe. When PSG won the Champions League by defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in May, their supporters created a tifo, huge in size as well as sentimentality. It depicted Xana with their flag being planted in the centre circle, after she had performed that very act when Enrique won the same trophy in 2015 with Barcelona — just a little girl having fun with her father on an evening of pure ecstasy. It was enough to move you to tears, that tifo. Likewise, Enrique changed into a T-shirt which paid tribute to his daughter. Empathy filled households around the world as we watched the new European champions bask in their youthful brilliance. Here in New York, at the 9/11 Museum, they have an exhibition displaying art created by children expressing their grief as a form of therapy for the loved ones lost on that disastrous day. It included a papier-mache fireman's hat, and for whatever reason it was that item which moved me to tears while considering a month spent away from my son, Ezra, in covering this competition. But then you remember: Enrique is not so fortunate. He will not get to fly home and do the nursery run on Tuesday once the Club World Cup has concluded. PSG's manager, 55, wears his grief — literally, after that Champions League final — and how he has summoned the strength to discuss his own daughter with the media, we do not know. The courage he has to speak on the legacy left behind by Xana boggles the mind. He even insists he is 'lucky' because he spent nine magical years with someone so special. 'Very lucky,' he said in a TV interview which went viral. 'But your daughter passed away at nine?' replied the interviewer. 'Well, my daughter came to live with us for nine wonderful years. We have thousands of memories of her, photos, videos, incredible things. 'My mother couldn't keep photos of Xana, until I arrived home and I asked her, 'Why aren't there any photos of Xana, mum?' 'I can't, I can't,' she said. 'Mum, you have to put up photos of Xana. She's alive. In the physical sense, she is not here. But in a spiritual sense, she is.' Because every day we talk about her, we laugh, we remember. Because I think Xana still sees us.' Chelsea could have had Enrique for themselves. In April 2023, he was in London to be interviewed by the Blues after the sacking of Graham Potter. The Spaniard had been having English lessons while waiting for an opportunity to manage in the Premier League. But Enrique, who had won the Treble with Barcelona in 2015, was only one member of Chelsea's seven-man shortlist, believed to include Julian Nagelsmann, Ruben Amorim, Oliver Glasner, Luciano Spalletti, Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino, who ultimately got the job. PSG hired Enrique instead, and the similarities between them and Chelsea are obvious. They are two of Europe's youngest sides, each trying to build a team to dominate the next decade. PSG are much further down the line in that regard, having won the Champions League. Chelsea won this season's Conference League by contrast, but are back among the big boys after finishing fourth in the Premier League. What will be, will be. Chelsea are happy with Maresca as their head coach, believing he has had as productive a season as possible. He got them into the Champions League. He won the Conference League. And he has taken them to this Club World Cup final — their 64th game of the 2024-25 season — which will be held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in front of President Trump. Few give Chelsea much chance tomorrow of overcoming PSG, who dismantled Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals, but defender Levi Colwill said yesterday: 'Real Madrid are very different from us. They don't press like us or play like us. PSG can't expect us to give them the same game. 'You have to respect how they press, how they play, but we're not going to change our whole way to play them. We've got our plan, our identity which we're going to stick to through the gaffer. That's when we play our best football so let's stick to it. Most people around the world would expect PSG to win but we don't think that.' But if it is Enrique who lifts the Club World Cup trophy, it will not be heavy. Xana will be there helping him lift it up.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I underwent the rarest amputation in the world... here is what my life is REALLY like now
After experiencing pain in her leg, Courtney Echerd never would have guessed she'd end up losing her entire limb after undergoing one of the rarest amputations in the world in order to save her life. Courtney had been dealing with 18 months of intense pain when she finally received a diagnosis in September last year at age 29. She was diagnosed with pelvic osteosarcoma, which is a rare type of bone cancer. As per the National Library of Medicine, treatment usually includes chemotherapy and wide surgical resection of the tumor. But for Courtney, a hemipelvectomy amputation, which is when part of the pelvis and the entire leg is removed, was her best option. 'When the possibility [of an amputation] was first introduced by a surgeon in Dallas, she made it seem like my life was over,' the 30-year-old told the The patient admitted that she was worried she would be bedridden for the rest of her life, and was initially resistant to the idea. 'I saw it as black and white, I either go back to the life I was living with both legs or... I wouldn't even let my imagination go there,' she recounted. She continued: 'I threw up, asked two of my best friends to come over with their kids and dogs, and just kind of went in and out of sleep.' Courtney eventually underwent the surgery in order to save her life, and has since shared parts of her recovery journey on TikTok, which have gone viral on the platform. '[Hemipelvectomys] account for less than 0.05 percent of all lower limb amputations,' she explained.' 'I will one day be independent,' she said determinedly. 'I know [three to four] women who have had the same or similar surgery that live totally independently. They have children, they are superstars and I will one day be there - it just all depends on my pain,' she explained. Courtney, who works in media and has been Los Angeles based for the past seven years, can thankfully still work, and says that getting back to LA is a big motivator for recovering. She added she is no longer receiving treatment for bone cancer, but still experiences some of the chemotherapy side effects - despite not having been treated for six months. In a video posted in October last year, Courtney detailed why she hasn't received a prosthetic leg yet - explaining that she has no hip joint for the fake limb to attach to. 'The more joints you have the easier it is for you to use a prosthetic,' she explained. 'Most people that have this amputation don't even use a prosthetic.' The freelance journalist said that with more common amputations, the fake limbs which are inserted at a joint allow the user to move around in a similar way to how they did before. However, she would have to learn to maneuver herself differently, explaining 'it will take using my hip force to swing that leg around, take a step, and swing again to walk.' Courtney said this was due to a number of reasons, including that 'they're very expensive,' 'very complicated,' and they 'use a ton of energy.' She said since having her leg removed, she has connected with other people who have dealt with the same amputation which has made her more optimistic about the future 'They're also really hot and heavy,' she added. Unlike other fake limbs, the type that Courtney will need to use is a leg which is joined by her wearing a form of plastic shorts, with a prosthetic attached to one side. 'It will wrap around my waist and then connect from the very, very, very small amount of leg that I have left,' she described. According to Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics, a hemipelvectomy is one of the rarest types of lower-extremity, above-knee amputations. 'Hemipelvectomy surgery procedures involve a removal or re-sectioning of some part of the patient's pelvis (sometimes as much as half of it),' the site reads. 'This procedure is typically carried out for the treatment or elimination of the most dangerous conditions and diseases, the most prominent being localized tumors or cancers that have spread to the pelvis and have not been responsive to other forms of treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy.' Courtney now lives with her parents as she continues to recover from her surgery and adjust to her new way of life. She said since having her leg removed, she has connected with other people who have dealt with the same amputation which has made her more optimistic about the future. 'They have been a great source of hope, especially in the early days when I didn't know how I would ever cook dinner or travel or feel like myself again. 'There's a Facebook group of about 200 of us worldwide and it's so nice to pop in to ask questions like "What does everyone do in terms of luggage at the airport?" or "Who is the best prosthetist in America?"' she shared. She added these questions can't just be searched online because information is so limited. 'We really only have each other,' she reflected. 'They are the people who have made me believe that I can be a parent and world traveler and live a happy life.
