Coleen was 14 when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). It was after 8 months of losing weight, tiredness, severe leg pain and an emergency admission to hospital she was finally diagnosed. She went through gruelling and aggressive chemotherapy and extensive leg surgery for 1 year before she began her survivorship. The chemotherapy caused severe side effects months and years later, and although she is now many years into her survivorship, she is effected by many long-term conditions resulting from her chemotherapy. These include damage to her heart, digestive tract, hearing, nerve pain, scoliosis, kidney and many other pain conditions, these physical conditions also cause emotional and psychological issues.
Coleen wants to be an ambassador for Kidscan, to help raise awareness and funds to help with the discovery of new, kinder chemotherapies. If treatments are less toxic and made affordably and more readily available, more children will survive and THRIVE, with less long term conditions and better quality of life.
You can read more about Coleen's story from her point of view on our blog
Coleen's StoryColeen has been a long-term supporter of Kidscan, who in 2018 became a patient ambassador. Coleen now helps Kidscan to raise awareness around the issues associated with childhood cancer and the long-term effects the treatments can have.
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