Hi, my name is Evan Adan Volpe and I am from Laredo, Texas. I just recently graduated from Texas A&M University (May, 2023) with a Bachelor of political Science and a Master of Public Administration with the intention of starting my professional career by working for the federal government. Throughout my last semester of college, I started to feel uncomfortable pain in my right leg. Thinking that it was just aches and soreness, I decided to leave it and continue my studies and job that I had with a minor limp. However, as time went on, the pain progressed. I was able to walk the stage during graduation, but as soon as the ceremony ended my whole right leg flared up and since then my leg has not been close to 100% with me having to resort to crutches and walking canes. After coming back home from college, i decided to go to a sports medicine clinic and check my knee. With multiple X-Rays and physical evaluations, they were confused as to what was causing my knee/leg pain. After taking an X-Ray of my back, the Sports Medicine physician noticed something going on with my right abdomen area which prompted him to conduct an abdominal evaluation. He immediately noticed a firm feeling in my right abdomen and knew that that wasn’t right. The physician prompted my family and I to go see a family doctor to get the process started on figuring out what the abdominal mass was. The family doctor’s suggestion was to go straight to the ER to expedite the process of testing, imaging tests, etc. I was admitted to the hospital and after two days of testing/imaging tests and getting a biopsy done, I was discharged and awaited the verdict from the local oncologist here in Laredo. On May 31st, I was diagnosed with a very rare form of bone cancer called chondrosarcoma. It affects 1 in 200,000 people. Chondrosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that starts out in cartilage cells and grows very slowly. In my specific case, my chondrosarcoma tumor started growing in my right iliac wing of my hip and has grown significantly in which is now taking up a lot space in my right abdomen pushing my other organs out of the way. This tumor has also been compressing my nerves that run down my right leg which explains the excruciating pain I have been feeling. With this diagnosis, my family and I are seeking the best medical treatment possible with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston being the location in which I will receive surgical treatment and further treatment if necessary. With that, the medical/travel costs that this unfortunate situation has caused is becoming a burden on my family and we understand the the next couple of months may not get any easier financially. I, along with my family, appreciate any support that you are willing to give during this time as I am preparing to fight this ugly cancer.

I was getting ready to start the “next chapter” of my life after graduation but the sad reality is that fighting this illness is my “next chapter” but with your support and prayers, I know that I will be out there again trying to make the world around me a better place as I’ve always intended to do.