11-year-old girl beats cancer twice with help of UC Davis Health doctor who also saved her leg
DAVIS — At age 7, Lydia Alwan was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in her leg, usually diagnosed in teens or young adults; today she is a happy 11-year-old who has beat cancer twice.
"It really really hurt. I don't even know, it's kind of like its own thing," said Lydia.
Lydia underwent limb salvage surgery through UC Davis Health Sarcoma Services. They removed and reconstructed the section of her femur with the tumor followed by 18 rounds of chemotherapy.
But that was just the beginning.
"It's all devastating. It's so hard to put to words," said her mom, Jessica. "You know every time she felt pain after she was diagnosed I got that sinking feeling, ok is this it? Is it happening again?"
Just two years after the first diagnosis, the cancer was back.
"It's a remarkable journey for Lydia and her family," Dr. Lor Randall told CBS13.
Dr. Randall is an Orthopedic Oncologist with UC Davis Children's Hospital.
He says not only is it a rare diagnosis in a child Lydia's age but salvaging her limb would be even more complicated a second time around.
"We ended up replacing her entire femur and for someone, this age to have an entirely metal artificial femur is a big deal because you now have an artificial hip, thigh bone, and knee," said Dr. Randall.
A medical miracle has now allowed Lydia to go back to living life like any other 11-year-old.
Since wrapping up chemotherapy, she's been to a BTS concert, Disney Land, swimming, and even hiking. Now she's already looking forward to the next adventure.
"She's always trying to go out and do more and more and I'm the one in a motherly way asking her to be careful," said Jessica.
Lydia is celebrating being cancer-free just as September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.