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Help Tyler In His Battle Against Rare Cancer

When fifteen-year-old Tyler went for a routine MRI scan for a suspected torn meniscus, two hours and three trips into the machine passed before the doctors took Tyler and his mother into a side room and quietly explained that they’d found a mass behind his knee and that it was serious.



Things had escalated quickly. The lead up to this point did nothing to suggest that this was anything other than a minor football injury. There was an initial hard challenge during a match and a stiffness and ache that followed but rather than getting better this injury didn’t seem to heal and gradually felt worse with time. Tyler pushed through increasing pain and swelling as he had a series of football trials for various academy teams and he was highly successful despite his discomfort, with offers coming in from four different clubs. This was no surprise to us and testament to Tyler’s mental strength and fortitude not to mention his talent and love for the game - he is a fighter.



With the trials over Tyler was committed to resting and recovering from the injury before the season starts but within a fortnight the knee joint had locked in one position and stopped him from flexing or extending his leg. The family went to see a physio and were told that due to the locked leg it was considered a medical emergency and likely a torn and/or rotated meniscus. A trip to A&E and an X-Ray revealed nothing untoward but the MRI that followed soon unraveled the mystery. Tyler had a large mass behind his knee which was physically blocking the joint and it had been there for a while.


Two weeks after that initial MRI, Tyler has started chemotherapy at the incredible University College Hospital in London. A biopsy revealed an 11cm cancerous tumour attached to the distal end of his femur, the thigh bone in the leg. This type of mass is known as an osteosarcoma and it is a very rare cancer affecting around 30 kids per year in the United Kingdom.



The tackle in the football game had aggravated the area and led specialists to discover the tumour weeks, possibly months earlier than might have been the case otherwise. We didn’t know it at the time but that tackle was a blessing in disguise.


So, here we are. 30 weeks of chemotherapy will pause only for surgery around week 10 to attempt to remove the tumour in its entirety. The cancer is aggressive and so the response must be aggressive in turn. The drugs are hard on the body and the side effects are devastating, now and potentially later. Infertility, amputation, loss of hearing, heart damage, kidney damage… the list of possibilities and complications we were presented with left little to the imagination.


An overwhelming number of friends and family have reached out to us to ask how they can help during this difficult time. Your love and well wishes are enough and we are very grateful.


Between a whirlwind of crushing and hopeful news and countless visits to the hospital, we haven’t thought much about the financial impact of living with a child battling cancer. Only when we have been asked by some of our friends if they could donate money to help our family in getting through this trying time did we consider the extent of the expenses ahead of us. We are forever grateful for the care expertly and patiently provided by the NHS however, our expenses are already mounting up. Any donations you are willing to make will go directly towards offsetting the financial impact of:


  • Reduced working hours for Tyler's mother as she transitions to becoming a full-time carer.
  • Additional childcare for Tyler's sister as we visit hospitals, attend appointments and deal with the unexpected.
  • Taxis, fuel and congestion charges to take Tyler to regular hospital appointments.
  • Additional medical supplies such as thermometers, medical creams, antibacterial products etc.
  • Specialised home modifications, walking aids and knee braces.
  • Food, snacks and drinks whilst in hospital.
  • Entertainment for Tyler to keep his mind occupied and allow him to play games and watch movies online with his friends. Tyler is currently bed-bound so fighting boredom is a constant challenge for a young man who is used to being active.


Once we pull through the initial chemotherapy and surgery, all funds will go towards Tyler's recovery and will be used to offset the costs of rehabilitation for the leg following the limb salvage surgery. Our aim is to get Tyler back on the football pitch!



We don’t know exactly what the future holds but there is an enormous amount of hope and positivity around us right now and with this it feels like we can overcome anything. Tyler is still a fighter. He will pull through this and come out the other side. Tyler will play football again.


Our motto in all of this so far has been “One day at a time”. If you’d like to follow along with the daily adventures, the ups and the downs, then you can visit our Instagram page @sarcomagramz


We will get there. One day at a time.

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Donations 

  • Alex Styles
    • £40 
    • 2 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • £100 
    • 2 yrs
  • Johanna Stanghon
    • £5 
    • 2 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • £100 
    • 2 yrs
  • Ermar Alexander
    • £30 
    • 2 yrs
Donate

Fundraising team (2)

Chris Rowat
Organizer
England
Shirley Darlington
Team member

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