Paul and his parents led active, healthy lives. A few weeks after a fall off his bike last summer, Paul was still experiencing pain and stiffness in his knee while his family was hiking on vacation in BC. When school started and the pain persisted and was interfering with his ability to walk properly, his mom scheduled an appointment with the doctor. An ultrasound led to an x-ray. A concerned radiologist told them to go straight to the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Paul remembers it being a very long day of blood tests and scans and people coming and going.
When the doctor finally told him and his parents that he had cancer in his leg he could hardly believe it. As the doctor showed them the x-ray and where the cancer was attacking the bone, all he could think was “This is ridiculous!” That night was a teary one for his family as they tried to come to terms with what was ahead of them.
Elena will never forget her son thanking them for his wonderful life of fifteen years.
The family was amazed at how quickly things went into action. He had a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, a port inserted and chemo began within a week. From the very beginning, the team gave them hope and showed them that they are not alone in this fight. In fact, Elena describes Paul’s oncologist, Dr. Lucie Lafay-Cousin as a soldier fighting in this war alongside them.
After a few rounds of treatment, it was time to remove the affected parts of Paul’s leg and knee and replace with titanium. The procedure went so well and Paul’s recovery has been amazing. With lots of support from physio, he is bearing weight and walking again. He will continue chemo until the summer to ensure that all traces of cancer are destroyed in his system.
Elena is quick to say that Paul has grown into a remarkable young man as he’s faced this challenge. His compassion for younger patients, his maturity and his courage inspire her and Ionel every day. As a family, they are stronger and committed more than ever to live every day to the fullest.