12 yr-old girl with cancer has surgery to amputate knee, has foot reattached backwards to allow her to run and lead a normal life !
12 year old Grace Bunke who was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rapidly progressing cancer in 2014 that has already progressed to her lungs, recently underwent a surgery to remove her foot and reattach it “in reverse” where her knee joint once was to allow Grace to do what she loved – Run !
Grace who had to start chemotherapy immediately to remove cancer from her lungs was given three options by her doctors – limb salvage, above-the-knee amputation or rotationplasty.
The first option involved receiving an artificial knee, keeping her knee intact which would leave Grace with an intact leg, but she would no longer be able to run.
The second option two was to have an amputation and be fitted with a prosthetic knee and leg.
The third option- rotationplasty, was by far the most radical of options, involving the removal of her foot and ankle, the cancer extracted from her knee and then the ankle and foot reattached backwards, creating a new knee joint. This option, which also involved Grace being fitted with a prosthesis, was explained as the option that would be the most conducive to maintaining her ability to run.
Grace didn’t waste any time in choosing rotationplasty which would allow her to run again. She agreed with a high five and went through the 10 hour surgery. After the surgery, an excited Grace said to her mother, “I did it mom. I was brave. The surgery is over. Do you want to see me wiggle my toes and see my awesome new leg?’ She even returned to school two weeks after the surgery. While the main surgery was over, she still had to go through 12 more rounds of chemotherapy, 2 more surgeries and learning to walk again!
On Feb 15, 2015 – Grace was finally done with her surgeries and treatments. While it was too early to get back to running, Grace joined the local swimming team to compete with able bodied swimmers and strengthen her body. Grace’s mother Vicki has written a diary on her daughter’s recovery.
The work done by Grace’s doctors – orthopedist and oncologists is amazing. Allowing her to recover from the cancer and getting back on her feet! A show of medical brilliance on part of the doctors to go in for an unusual technique, giving their patient – a young and motivated Grace legs to run with.
Original Post: Dailymail UK
Image Credits: Vicki Bunke/ Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
