“In 2017 I had confirmation that I had an osteochondron, a benign tumour that grows on the surface of the bone and that about 1% of these develop into a malignant form. In April 2023 I was diagnosed with a grade 2 secondary chondrosarcoma. This is a relatively rare cancer- approximately 200 cases in the UK but we were fortunate that Professor Lee Jeys at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham is a world leading expert in the condition, having published over 300 scientific papers. Professor Jeys was recently awarded the DSc, the highest research degree in the UK and only awarded for individuals who make an outstanding contribution to their field. He was instrumental in developing a computer assisted surgical approach that greatly improves outcomes (improving 5 year specific survival by 20%).

Clearly the diagnosis came as a shock, but Lee took considerable time to explain our options- one of which was a full leg/hind quarter amputation to have the most confidence of removing the cancer. Taking a more balanced approach to provide the best function and mobility we chose a hemi-pelvectomy that involved excising part of the pelvis and hip and using a custom 3D printed prosthetic implant to replace the bone.

The surgery took place at the end of June and involved being immobilised for a week with an epidural- as a natural fidget this was one of the areas I was most concerned about. Overall, I was in hospital for 3 weeks and I can’t speak highly enough of all the staff at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham. There is such a strong culture there and they were all very friendly and effective at making this traumatic time as positive an experience as possible. Even the food was way better than I expected (especially the puddings) and having to attend every 3 months for scans the hospital and staff still continue to impress. As a nurse my wife was able to remove the 82 staples at home which was an unusual experience for me at least. One of the aspects that made such a difference to my function was a week of hydro and physiotherapy, 12 weeks after the operation. As this surgery is so specific to each person this intense week really helped to understand the individual limitations of my muscle loss and they tailored a rehabilitation programme that helped me greatly.

Fortunately, they removed the cancer with good margins and so it is now a question of plenty of physio to mobilise and regular scans. After a year there are no signs of malignancy and though I still rely on a walking stick for any distance but my function continues to improve. We are incredibly grateful for the excellent support of the NHS and the ROH in particular as we navigated the physical, emotional and practical sides of this condition.”