The doctor ordered an X-Ray and the next thing James’ parents knew they were on their way to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. What was seen on the X-Ray was suspected to be cancer. An MRI, a CT scan and a bone scan revealed a large tumour in James’ left femur and an open biopsy revealed it was Osteosarcoma. Bone cancer.

Thankfully, his specialists had an innovative treatment plan. James would need chemotherapy and a Rotationplasty, a surgery to remove the cancerous femur, move up the tibia and rotate it so the foot and ankle can become the new knee joint.

“It was incredibly difficult to tell our son that he was going to lose part of his leg,” says Jacquie. “We told him he would no longer be in pain and after surgery he would get a new ‘robot leg’ that would enable him to be active and do everything he did prior to surgery.”

Prior to his surgery, James went through two cycles of chemotherapy over 10 weeks. During this time, he made special connections with his oncology nurses and Child Life specialist who helped him cope with his needle anxiety using a teddy bear that had a chemotherapy port, just like him. Surgeons successfully removed the cancerous bone and completed the Rotationplasty. James went through another four rounds of chemotherapy over 20 weeks, many of them at home through the donor-funded Hospital at Home program.