Zach's Story
Zach's family visited the Cotswolds in August 2023.
Zach broke his left arm close to shoulder when he was almost 11 and was put in cast.
He then broke it again in the same place a year later and it was at this time they noticed a cyst in the X-ray.
He was then referred to hospital where we had a meeting with the consultant.
We were advised it should sort itself out as he gets older but the more he breaks could make it stronger which I found crazy.
Then in 2022 he broke it again in both the April and July and we were told as long as he was in no pain with it at any point they would just monitor it.
By October 2022 it started to swell and became red and very sore. He was sent for mri scans and then told he needed a biopsy. The first one they didn’t get enough sample so two weeks later he had another one and was given the news he had sarcoma but they believed low grade.
He had an operation on 20th December 2022 to remove the bone and tissue etc and replace with metal work. We hoped that would be it.
We then got a call in January advising it was high grade sarcoma and he would need to start chemo so our journey began at the end of January at uclh.
He was put on MAP and we also opted for miffy to help his immune system. He reacted badly to one of the drugs with terrible side affects and was admitted twice to stay in hospital once locally and once in London.
He has lost around 10kg in weight and eventually had to have an ng tube for a while.
The implant and metal work moved in his arm at the end of February but the decision was made to leave it if not in discomfort until after chemo finished then so surgery again. Then on 18rh July the metal work pierced through his skin so a week later we we’re booked in for him to have surgery again and put it back in place meaning the last cycle of his chemo has been delayed.
Zac has coped brilliantly with time away from home and also away from his friends and school.
He has been rough but he managed to start dating his then friend and is so full of life.
This little break means the world to us so thank you everyone at BSF.