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[back to news]| Sadie Shines Through 18/08/09  Left to right Laura, Sadie and Wendy Moss Sadie Shines Through Life can change so much in the space of a year, and for Sadie Moss, this is certainly true. Sadie, just 20 years old, was only four weeks in to her first term at University when she was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer. She said, “I was told I had osteosarcoma in my right leg in October last year and my life hasn’t been the same since! “I woke up one night with a dead leg, which I’d never had before and then I noticed that my leg started to ache when I walked. I went to the doctor and they said it was probably ligament damage and gave me some medication. This seemed to help and the pain went away for a bit, but then it came back. A lump had also appeared on my leg and it seemed to be getting bigger.” Sadie, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, went back to the doctor and was sent to the Kings Mill Hospital in Mansfield for an x-ray and MRI scan. She said, “I had to go to hospital in Birmingham for a biopsy and it was such a shock when the results came back that I had cancer in my right fibula – osteosarcoma. This type of cancer only affects around 30 young people each year.” It was only five weeks from diagnosis to Sadie starting treatment at Nottingham City Hospital. After two cycles of chemotherapy the doctors decided that she needed to have her leg amputated above the knee. Sadie said, “I was devastated. As well as starting Uni, I was also halfway through learning to drive and had a Saturday job that involved lots of walking. I loved horse riding and playing on dance mats. My life, at that time, seemed to revolve around my legs.” After the operation she had more chemotherapy and has just finished her last cycle which is a huge relief to both her and her family. Whilst in the City Hospital in Nottingham, Sadie and her family received help and support from children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent. She said, “I don’t know how to describe the help I have had from CLIC Sargent throughout my treatment. Rachael, a CLIC Sargent Youth Development Worker, has made such a difference. It’s so nice to have someone to talk to, that’s not your parents, and to realise you’re not the only person going through this. Rachael is a friendly face on the ward which is really important when there are so many people coming and going.” Sadie’s CLIC Sargent Youth Development Worker is running in the Experian Robin Hood Half Marathon this September to raise money for the charity, which, along with The Fire Fighters Charity, Headway – the brain injury association and the Alzheimer’s Society, is one of the event’s official charities. CLIC Sargent also helped Sadie’s family access financial support and tackle all the paper work that is involved. Sadie added, “It really helped ease the stress on my Mum to have someone to talk through the complicated forms and answer our questions. The initial care grant we received from the charity helped with travel costs from going back and forth from the ward during my treatment.” “You can’t imagine all the ways in which cancer affects you, for instance, clothes shopping has been a nightmare as I keep changing sizes and weight depending on my treatment. I once lost 2 ½ stone in just 8 weeks – which played havoc with my wardrobe!” Sadie now has a new prosthetic leg, which is sitting in the corner of her room ready for physio sessions. And she is going back to university in September to study Illustration which she is really excited about. She added, “My family have been busy fundraising for CLIC Sargent to show our support for other young people with cancer. My Dad’s been collecting cash from his army colleagues and he joined my sister’s fiancé and my auntie at a sponsored abseil down the side of the QMC last month. The abseil is hoping to bring in £18,000 in sponsorship for CLIC sargent, which is fantastic! My family is also hoping to marshal for CLIC Sargent at the Robin Hood Marathon and show support for Rachael.” Dee Richardson, Events Fundraising Manager at CLIC Sargent said: “We are thrilled to be one of the official charities of the event and are so grateful to people that choose to run for us like Rachael or marshal for us like the Moss’. “The £30,000 that we raised from last year’s event has helped us to support 163 patients and their families in Nottinghamshire in 2008, over 80 of which were new to the charity. It has also enabled CLIC Sargent to issue over £17,000 in grants to children and young people in the county. “We would like to do the same and more in the year to come and are urging people to run for us and the official charities. Please see the website www.clicsargent.org.uk or call me on 0113 2307902 for details of how to get involved.” Sadie concluded, “I didn’t know what osteosarcoma was before I was diagnosed and I never thought that I’d get cancer. But just because I have cancer doesn’t mean I’m a different person. It will never stop me being me; I’m just a different version of me – with a new leg! So if you are worried about anything don’t ignore it, go see your Doctor!”  At the back to the front: Wendy, Laura and Sadie Moss |
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