Jodie Weldon liked GAA. It was the summer time of 2020, she was 16 years previous, and he or she had fixed coaching and matches.
Her knee started to harm her and, regardless of sporting a brace to help the harm, it will definitely reached such a stage of ache that she was unable to stroll.
“I used to be in agony. My dad introduced me straight as much as VHI. They had been it and put me in a unique type of knee brace and mentioned if nothing modifications in per week to come back again,” she mentioned.
“I went again after which I received booked in for an MRI, received that, and that’s after we received the decision that there was a tumour discovered.”
Two weeks later, she was identified with osteosarcoma, a kind of bone most cancers.
“I used to be feeling so many feelings, attempting to come back to phrases with issues. If you discover out, there’s a second of: why me? Why now? Looking for out. It was a most cancers I had by no means heard of and if you’re listening to all these large names we didn’t know exist, so that you surprise how you bought it,” she mentioned.
Talking throughout sarcoma consciousness month, Prof Alan Molloy, guide orthopaedic surgeon on the Nationwide Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, mentioned sarcoma is kind of an uncommon type of most cancers.
“Sarcoma is finally a most cancers that may come up from any of the tender tissues. In the end which means you may get a sarcoma in any cell kind,” he mentioned.
“That’s why it’s uncommon. It’s predominantly within the legs and arms, however as a result of you have got fats cells and muscular tissues within the tummy and in all places, you may get it there. You may get them within the chest, within the head and neck, anyplace.”
When it comes to sarcoma within the bone, Prof Molloy mentioned when individuals discuss bone most cancers, it’s usually a most cancers that has “unfold from a breast or prostate, lung or kidney to their bone”.
“Whereas a sarcoma of bone begins within the bone. It’s a really tough one to diagnose very early as a result of children and youngsters are the upper share of sufferers who get them. And so they’re out, they’re taking part in sports activities, they get a knock and assume it’s that. They don’t fairly recover from that harm and get it checked after which their world fully modifications.”
There are about 280 circumstances of sarcoma identified in Eire yearly, mentioned Prof Molloy, with a five-year survival price of about 75 per cent for individuals who have a localised most cancers which has not unfold elsewhere. Of the 280 circumstances of sarcoma, about 40 or 50 are bone sarcomas.
After her analysis, Ms Weldon, who’s now 20, underwent chemotherapy and surgical procedure. Most stunning to her, nonetheless, was the necessity for fertility remedy.
“One of many side-effects of the chemo I used to be on was an influence on fertility. And since I used to be so younger, I needed to do [fertility treatment]. It’s a protracted course of, it’s injections each day and ultrasounds on a regular basis. That was the primary time it felt actually actual for me,” she mentioned.
That yr was extremely tough however now Ms Weldon has been cancer-free for nearly three years and has simply accomplished her first yr of early childhood research in Maynooth College.
She mentioned she couldn’t have achieved it if it wasn’t for the help of her family and friends, Arklow Most cancers Assist as properly ashealthcare workers in St Vincent’s hospital and Cappagh Hospital.
“I’m type of again the place I wish to be. There may be some stuff I received’t be capable to do once more, like I received’t be capable to return and play Gaelic soccer or any contact sport,” she mentioned.
“I felt so privileged simply to get again strolling. With the ability to exit and return to myself. I mentioned to myself I might make that sacrifice if I might return to strolling once more.”
