Mason's Kickin' Cancer
Donation protected
Early in March of 2017, Mason began sporatically complaining of a pain in his leg, by late May it became more frequent.However having no other symptons and having grown 3/4 of an inch from Feb to May and also being a 6 yr old boy with all the running, rough-housing and bike wrecking that comes with that, we figured it was growing pains or the like.
One morning in mid July we had noticed him walking oddly on his leg and there was a swollen area so we took him to have it checked, assuming a sprain or hair line fracture. A few days before Mason's 7th birthday we were told that his x rays revealed a tumor; The day after his birthday we were at Children's Mercy all day with testing which revealed the tumor was a rare malignant bone cancer known as Osteogenic Sarcoma.
The treatment for this is chemo therapy which at this time is scheduled to begin the first week of August. After at least three rounds, if the medicines are working favorably, the other confirmed treatment is removal of the lower Femur bone and any tissue which has come in contact with the tumor.
At this point it is believed that total amputation of the leg will not be required, but that is not certain. Dr's are confident that the best option for Mason, due to his age and size, is a procedure called Rotationplasty. This procedure in simple terms removes the middle portion of the leg then inverts the lower portion and attatches it back in essence allowing the ankle to function as the knee and fitting the foot with a prosthetic lower leg.
Mason's condition is such that he can not put any pressure on his left leg at all, thus he is confined to using a wheel chair most of the time and a walker as a back up.
Our current home has no wheel chair access and is not wheel chair friendly, so we need to at minimum build a ramp and make bathroom adjustments. However we are also looking for a different place which might either have these amenities or be easier to put them in, not to mention have a better environment for Mason when his immune system is low due to chemotherapy (our landlord just built a horse pin directly across from our yard, in the mean time has ignored our requests to repair 2 leaks in our roof which has created indoor drips and mildew & mold in the ceiling.) Part of any funds we receive will go to travel expenses for the 3 hour trip involved with each chemo treatment and residual tests to see how it is affecting the cancer. Part will go to help move into and/or repair a place that is sanitary and wheel chair friendly. The rest will go to cover any surgical and other medical treatments, prosthetic devices and to help cover bills as there will be some loss of income during all of this. My wife and I both have missed a full week of work so far and are running out of usable vacation days at both our jobs.
Mason is a bright, energetic, smart and witty kid. He's always on the go, and being confined to not having the ability to run and jump and ride his bike or wrestle with his brothers is very hard for him. It is already starting to take an emotional toll on him and we have many many many months ahead of us yet. Any funds donated will be put to good use and focused on what is needed to give Mason a safe, healthy, and accessible environment to tackle this unpleasant part of his life, as well as help us provide him with the support he needs to take this on with confidence, determination and dignity while keeping his keen wit, his bright personality and that amazing smile he seems to always have.
One morning in mid July we had noticed him walking oddly on his leg and there was a swollen area so we took him to have it checked, assuming a sprain or hair line fracture. A few days before Mason's 7th birthday we were told that his x rays revealed a tumor; The day after his birthday we were at Children's Mercy all day with testing which revealed the tumor was a rare malignant bone cancer known as Osteogenic Sarcoma.
The treatment for this is chemo therapy which at this time is scheduled to begin the first week of August. After at least three rounds, if the medicines are working favorably, the other confirmed treatment is removal of the lower Femur bone and any tissue which has come in contact with the tumor.
At this point it is believed that total amputation of the leg will not be required, but that is not certain. Dr's are confident that the best option for Mason, due to his age and size, is a procedure called Rotationplasty. This procedure in simple terms removes the middle portion of the leg then inverts the lower portion and attatches it back in essence allowing the ankle to function as the knee and fitting the foot with a prosthetic lower leg.
Mason's condition is such that he can not put any pressure on his left leg at all, thus he is confined to using a wheel chair most of the time and a walker as a back up.
Our current home has no wheel chair access and is not wheel chair friendly, so we need to at minimum build a ramp and make bathroom adjustments. However we are also looking for a different place which might either have these amenities or be easier to put them in, not to mention have a better environment for Mason when his immune system is low due to chemotherapy (our landlord just built a horse pin directly across from our yard, in the mean time has ignored our requests to repair 2 leaks in our roof which has created indoor drips and mildew & mold in the ceiling.) Part of any funds we receive will go to travel expenses for the 3 hour trip involved with each chemo treatment and residual tests to see how it is affecting the cancer. Part will go to help move into and/or repair a place that is sanitary and wheel chair friendly. The rest will go to cover any surgical and other medical treatments, prosthetic devices and to help cover bills as there will be some loss of income during all of this. My wife and I both have missed a full week of work so far and are running out of usable vacation days at both our jobs.
Mason is a bright, energetic, smart and witty kid. He's always on the go, and being confined to not having the ability to run and jump and ride his bike or wrestle with his brothers is very hard for him. It is already starting to take an emotional toll on him and we have many many many months ahead of us yet. Any funds donated will be put to good use and focused on what is needed to give Mason a safe, healthy, and accessible environment to tackle this unpleasant part of his life, as well as help us provide him with the support he needs to take this on with confidence, determination and dignity while keeping his keen wit, his bright personality and that amazing smile he seems to always have.
Organizer
David Hunter
Organizer
Joplin, MO
