There are moments in life that arrive without warning—moments that quietly split everything into before and after. For me, that moment came on February 22, 2016, the day my childhood innocence collided with a word I never imagined would shape my life: osteosarcoma.

What began as a simple ache became a battle for survival—and a journey that taught me more about strength, resilience, and hope than I ever thought possible.

When the Pain First Appeared

It started innocently enough. I came home from a friend’s birthday party, laughing and tired after dancing on a hard floor all night. My leg hurt badly, but my parents assumed it was nothing more than soreness. I was given paracetamol and told to rest.

But the pain didn’t fade.

Night after night, it grew worse—sharp, relentless, and impossible to ignore. Sleep became a struggle, and nothing seemed to help. Still, we believed it was something common, something temporary.

Dismissed and Overlooked

At first, my parents thought it might be shin splints, something many active children experience. I stayed home from school, rested, and waited for improvement that never came.

Eventually, my mum took me to the GP. I remember being asked to do exercises, which I could manage despite the pain. The doctor dismissed my concerns, suggesting it was tendonitis, and sent me home with dihydrocodeine. We were told to return in ten days if it didn’t improve.

But my body was already fighting something far more serious.

When Pain Becomes Unbearable

As the days passed, the pain became unbearable. Walking was nearly impossible. I began crawling, unable to put weight on my leg. My mum knew something was terribly wrong.

She refused to wait any longer and demanded an X-ray.

That decision would change everything.

The Day Everything Changed

One afternoon, my mum picked me up from school early. I didn’t get to say goodbye to my friends. We went straight to the hospital for imaging, unaware that we would never return to school that day as the same people.

The X-ray revealed the truth: osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer.

The doctors told us that if we had waited any longer, my bone could have snapped. My world collapsed in that moment. Childhood ended, and survival became the priority.

Living With a Fragile Bone

A biopsy quickly confirmed the diagnosis. My bone was dangerously weak, so fragile that every movement had to be carefully controlled. I was placed in a pink plaster cast, not as a fashion statement, but as protection against fracture.

Even the biopsy was performed with extreme caution, knowing how easily my bone could break.

Chemotherapy and Its Toll

Just one week later, chemotherapy began.

The treatment was brutal. I was constantly sick, exhausted, and losing weight rapidly—10 kilograms in total. Doctors suggested inserting a feeding tube, worried my body couldn’t cope.

But I refused.

Against the odds, I became the only patient my nurse had ever seen—in her ten years as an oncology nurse—to complete chemotherapy without needing a feeding tube. That moment became one of my greatest achievements, a small but powerful victory in a very dark time.

Surgery That Changed My Body Forever

After three rounds of chemotherapy, it was time for surgery. Doctors removed the affected section of my bone and replaced it with a donor bone, secured using titanium plates and screws.

It was a life-altering operation, but also a life-saving one.

Recovery was slow and painful, yet I held onto hope with everything I had.

Finishing the Fight

Osteosarcoma treatment follows a strict protocol. Even though the tumor was completely removed, I still needed three more rounds of chemotherapy to ensure no cancer cells remained.

The final treatments were exhausting—physically and emotionally—but they were necessary. Each round brought me closer to the finish line.

Life After Cancer

Today, life looks different.

I use a wheelchair at school because the campus is large and fatigue comes easily. I attend regular hospital appointments, scans, and blood tests. Chemotherapy damaged my liver, so my phosphate levels are closely monitored.

The chest is the most common site for osteosarcoma relapse, so I undergo frequent chest X-rays, leg scans, and surgical check-ups.

Despite missing half of Year 6 and all of Year 7, I am proud to be achieving B grades in most subjects. Every achievement feels like proof that cancer did not take everything from me.

The Small Things That Kept Me Going

Throughout my journey, one constant source of comfort was my cat. In moments of fear and exhaustion, her quiet presence reminded me that I wasn’t alone.

Sometimes, strength comes from the smallest places.

A Message to Others Fighting Cancer

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: never give up.

The road is long. The pain is real. The fear is overwhelming. But you are stronger than you realize. Surround yourself with love, hope, and people who believe in you—especially on days when you struggle to believe in yourself.

Looking Toward the Future

Every day now feels like a gift. My journey through osteosarcoma will always be part of my story, but it does not define my future.

With my family, friends, and the strength I found within myself, I know I can face whatever comes next.

Because even on the darkest days, hope survived—and so did I.