Latest news with #osteosarcoma
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Biggleswade Blue Badge holder dubs process 'bureaucracy gone mad'
A man who has had a prosthetic leg for half a century has described a request for more medical information to renew his Blue Badge as "bureaucracy gone mad".Raymond Dingwall,72, from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, lost his leg to bone cancer in 1976, and said he had never experienced a problem renewing his disabled parking permit said that after he applied, he received an email asking for more details, including letters of diagnosis, consultant letters - and proof of care requirements.A spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council said "all applications are treated as new applications, and we require supporting evidence to ensure fairness and consistency for all applicants". "The information they require I cannot give them as the surgeon who looked after me when I was very poorly has died," said Mr Dingwall."I have not kept documentation of all the illnesses I have and I have never had a letter from a hospital consultant." Mr Dingwall, who used to play semi-professional football for Stevenage FC, had to have his right leg amputated in 1976 because he had bone cancer, and he needed it removed to prevent the spread of had long running chemotherapy and after 12 months he was told the cancer had spread to his lung. He then had part of his left lung said he now struggled to get about mainly due to his secondary "complaints" - he has chronic heart failure, an arthritic left knee, kidney stones, skin cancer on his head and has undergone radiotherapy for prostate says he needs the Blue Badge, which expires in August, as "if the weather was bad I need to park near the shops as I would be like Bambi"."People with conditions that are never going to change and only deteriorate are effectively put through the process as if you have applied from day one, which seems ludicrous," Mr Dingwall said.A spokesperson for the council said he had been contacted by telephone to explain what he needed to do, and he had agreed to provide the information required to process his application. They added: "Our procedures and practices align with national guidance as set out by the Department for Transport and are followed by other local authorities." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Peterborough parents determined to give football-loving daughter happy life
A family have launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for a specialist leg and future treatment for their 11-year-old was a talented footballer but was diagnosed with osteosarcoma - a form of bone cancer - last Gordon and Gemma Blair, both Cambridgeshire Police officers from Peterborough, have described the gruelling cycle of chemotherapy and their determination to give her the life she left leg had to be amputated above the knee as part of her treatment. Gordon said it was one of the "darkest moments" and called it "soul-destroying". Millie was a talented horse rider and a promising footballer who played for Oundle Town girls and Peterborough United aspired to play for Chelsea women's team and was generally healthy before her diagnosis, her family far, Millie has had seven operations, blood transfusions, and spent more than 100 nights in hospital."She was diagnosed on her 11th birthday. A present nobody wanted," Gordon said the family "knew something was wrong" when she took a knock to her left leg playing football last year."Finding out your kid has cancer is the worst feeling imaginable, your whole world implodes in an instant."Suddenly, we were thrust into this scary world of unknowns, spending our days in hospitals with tubes and machines and procedures. It's an awful place to be."It is soul destroying."He said Millie had been "phenomenal" throughout the cancer journey and had helped them stay strong. Fundraising efforts The cost of a specialist leg and rehabilitation is more than £130,000, and the family said they had been told there was no rehabilitation centre specifically for children."She's determined to play for England women's amputee football team and even compete in the Paralympics. We don't mind what she does, we just want her to be happy and to be able to get back to running around with her friends."To do that, she'll need the right support."The NHS can provide prosthetics, but many aren't suitable for someone as active as Millie, and it's likely she will need new parts for her leg as she grows – all of which cost a considerable sum." On 4 July, Gordon will be joining a team of 30 people on an 88-mile walk (142km) from Peterborough United's ground in London Road, to Stamford Bridge in west London, the home of Chelsea Football clubs hold a special place in Millie's walk, which could take up to three days to complete, has been organised by Gemma's boss, Det Sgt Adam McCluskey."If anyone can join us at any point it will be a real morale boost," said Gordon."It will make all the difference. Adam has been amazing in organising it all, I'm just turning up and hoping to get through it."This isn't about luxuries or experiences, we don't need those and we don't want anyone to pay for them, we just want to give Millie the power to dream again and to give our family some normality." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
The children's cancer that takes the longest to diagnose – and the signs to watch for
TEENAGERS and children with bone cancer face longer waits for a diagnosis than those with other types of the disease, a new review has revealed. The longer cancers are left untreated the bigger they can grow and harder they are to cure, Cancer Research UK warns on its website. 3 Scientists from the University of Nottingham analysed data on 2,000 young patients diagnosed with the disease between September 2020 and March 2023. They found the average time to diagnosis was 4.6 weeks – but some children waited up to six years. Young people aged 15 to 18 had the longest delays, waiting an average of 8.7 weeks to be diagnosed. But kids with bone cancer faced the worst delays overall, waiting an average of 12.6 weeks – more than three months. In contrast, babies under one were diagnosed after just 3.7 weeks on average, and children with kidney cancer were diagnosed in just 2.3 weeks. The most common form of bone cancer in children is osteosarcoma - with 30 new cases diagnosed in the UK year, according to Children With Cancer UK. Although it can develop in any bone, it occurs most often in the bones on either side of the knee (tibia or femur) and in the upper arm. The symptoms are: 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 Experts said half of all children and young people with cancer in the UK are still waiting four weeks or longer for a diagnosis. 3 The signs and symptoms of cancer Most cases (67 per cent) were only picked up after an emergency trip to A&E or hospital. Bone tumours, soft tissue tumours, Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis and brain tumours were all linked to more GP visits before a diagnosis was finally made. Writing in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, the researchers said there were 'disparities for age and diagnostic groups' and called for urgent action to speed up diagnosis for those facing lengthy waits. Dr Shaarna Shanmugavadivel, from the University of Nottingham, said: 'For the first time, we understand the current landscape of childhood cancer diagnosis in the UK. 'There is an urgent need to focus efforts on young people and tumour types such as bone tumours that are still experiencing lengthy intervals. 'Earliest possible diagnosis is key as time is crucial. Untreated, tumours grow bigger and can spread around the body, requiring more extensive surgery and more intensive therapies to offer cure. 3 'The findings will help focus efforts towards closing the gap for these groups, ensuring more children and young people receive a diagnosis sooner.' Ashley Ball-Gamble, chief executive of The Children and Young People's Cancer Association, and co-author of the study, added: 'It's crucial that we understand why certain groups, such as older teenagers, or those with certain cancers, such as bone and brain tumours, are likely to face a lengthier diagnosis. 'By recognising these differences, we hope to work towards faster diagnoses and improved survival rates.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Webster kindergarteners join together to support classmate battling cancer
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A kindergarten class at DeWitt Road School is banding together in support of one their classmates — with a lemonade stand. Tacianna Indovina said back in March, what started as an ordinary school day turned heartbreaking for 6-year-old Briella. When Briella broke her leg, she and her family were at the hospital when the doctor gave them shocking news. '[They] were shocked to learn that she likely had osteosarcoma bone cancer, two hours into their emergency room visit,' Indovina told News 8. Since that day, Briella has had multiple rounds of chemotherapy, 'facing each one with bravery and strength.' Briella's story resonated with the DeWitt Road Elementary School, and so they could show their support — Briella's kindergarten class is organizing a lemonade stand fundraiser on June 1 to benefit Briella and her family. 'You can show your support by donating directly to Briella's family — @Critt5833 on Venmo,' Indovina said. 'This is about coming together for a little girl who's going through so much,' said one of the parents organizing the event. 'We want Briella and her family to feel the strength and support of the whole community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Teenager had common pain she thought was caused by cycling - it was killer stage 4 cancer
The heartbroken mother of a 15-year-old has told of her shock at learning her teenager may succumb to late stage bone cancer, despite suffering virtually no symptoms. Millie Dennett, from Poole, Dorset, was a perfectly healthy student when, last month, she fell off her bicycle while out cycling with her father. Soon afterwards she developed a pain in her arm, which the family assumed was a result of the accident. But when the sensation intensified, her mother Kristina, a 38 year-old carer, decided to take her daughter to A&E. Doctors performed a series of tests including several X-rays, before sending the pair home. But later that evening doctors called Ms Dennett to ask her to bring Millie back to the hospital for an emergency MRI. After spotting a worrying pattern on the scan, the family were referred to a London hospital for a biopsy that eventually revealed the devastating truth. Millie was diagnosed with stage four osteosarcoma—bone cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, brain, or other bones. Doctors discovered that the disease had migrated to her chest, and they suspect there is cancer in her elbow too. 'I felt absolutely sick, it was the worst day of my life,' Ms Dennett said of the diagnosis. 'It's all just happened so quickly. Our whole world got turned upside down in just a few hours, it's crazy how much it's changed our lives. 'It was a miracle she fell of that bike, the doctors said she would have been dead in six months without treatment. 'It's been really tough, but day-to-day you don't even have time to think about it because it's all happening so quickly and I have to stay strong for Millie.' The teenager is now undergoing nearly three months of gruelling chemotherapy before major surgery to remove the tumours, which will be followed by a further four months of radiation treatment. Speaking of the shock of the diagnosis, Mrs Dennett said: 'We had absolutely no inkling. 'Doctors asked her if she had experienced any symptoms like weight loss, headaches or fatigue, but there was nothing to say she wasn't well.' Osteosarcoma is rare and one of the deadliest childhood cancers, with an estimated 150 new cases diagnosed in minors in the UK every year. But long-term survival rates have remained unchanged for over 15 years, with fewer than seven in 10 patients on average surviving beyond five years. Many of the most typical signs of the disease can mimic common ailments—including pain, swelling, fever, fatigue and weight loss. More obvious symptoms include a lump near the infected area, weak or easily broken bones and difficulty moving certain limbs. Ms Dennett, who has one other child, has had to leave her job in order to look after her daughter full-time. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with their costs including travel to the hospital an hour away in Southampton and overnight stays. Millie had dreams of being an air hostess and travelling the world, but has had to drop out of school to focus on the intensive treatment. Doctors have given the family hope that the disease could be curable. 'She's been so brave and strong, she's absolutely amazing and still smiling,' her mother said.
