Tim has never been one to complain about anything, especially about being in pain.  During the fall of 2010, Tim kept complaining about his left leg hurting just below his knee.  He had crashed his motorcycle in a race in early November and we noticed a small bump and a bruise just below his knee. 

When he played basketball on his Jr. Jazz team, the pain would get worse to the point where he would have to ice the area after practices and games.  Over the Christmas break, the pain went away as he did not have any basketball games.  However, once he started playing games again in January of 2011, the pain came back and Tim started limping.  At one particular game, Tim could not run up and down the court, instead he galloped.  At one point in the game, he had a couple open shots under the basket.  Tim did not jump at all when shooting, even though no one was guarding him.  That’s when we knew something was wrong and took him in the following Tuesday for an x-ray.  We were hoping that he had a hair-line fracture from his motorcycle crash.  The x-ray showed no fracture and a MRI was ordered for the next day.

After a very long MRI, a doctor told us that it looked like Tim had osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in his left tibia.  More tests and scans at Primary Children’s Medical Center would need to be performed before any kind of treatment could be started.  Two days later, on January 14th, Tim was officially diagnosed with some form of bone cancer.  That night he had a biopsy on his tibia and a port was placed in his chest.  About a week later, we were told that Tim had Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer found in the bone as well as soft tissues.  On January 25th, Tim started the day having a bone marrow aspiration to make sure the cancer was not in his blood.  Then he started his first of 14 chemotherapy treatments.

 Tim’s chemo treatments consisted of him staying in the hospital for 1-2 nights or 4-5 nights depending on the treatment he was receiving.  He would have a week to a week and a half between treatments which was spent at home away from friends, school, basketball and skiing.  Tim missed the last half of his 6th grade year at school.  However, he was able to keep up with work due to teachers coming to the house and tutoring him.  In March, as Tim was in the hospital for round #5, his surgeon came to us and presented two surgeries to remove the cancer from Tim’s leg.  One was to remove the infected bone, including the knee, and reconstruct the knee and upper tibia.  This procedure meant that Tim would not be able to play football, basketball, jump on the trampoline or do anything active again.  From the time that Tim was an infant, he had two speeds; super fast and stop!  For Tim not to be able to be active meant taking everything away from Tim.

The second option was a Van Ness Rotation Plasty.  Tim’s bone and soft tissue around his knee and tibia would be cut out.  Then Tim’s foot would be rotated 180 degrees and placed in such a way to become Tim’s new knee.  Tim would be active again by using a prosthesis.  This procedure meant that Tim would have to learn to walk, run and play all over again.  The obvious choice for Tim was the rotation plasty.  Tim finished up his 6th round of chemo.  On May 3rd, just 6 days after his 12th birthday, he went in for surgery to remove the cancer.  The surgery lasted 10 ½ hours and Tim was in the PICU for the night.  He spent 5 days in the hospital before he was released to go home and recover with his family and friends around him.  He was in 2 different casts for the next 2 months as his bones fused together and his ligaments healed.  Just 2 weeks after his surgery, Tim was back in the hospital to finish up the last 8 rounds of chemo.  

Tim’s determination and strength were evident through this trial.  When he turned 12, he received the Priesthood and was able to pass the sacrament in church.  After his surgery, he passed the sacrament in his wheelchair.  Most Sundays he would go to church just to perform this duty.   Then he would go home and sleep off the sickness he was feeling.  Tim started 7th grade on time even though he was still having treatments.  He missed only one week of school due to treatments and was able to stay on top of his school work and get all A’s in the first quarter.  He even excelled in an 8th grade honors math class!  On September 2, 2011, Tim received his prosthetic leg after not walking for 4 months.  He quickly got rid of the underarm crutches relying on forearm crutches to help him get around.  Currently, he walks with no crutches, using one crutch when he has to go clear across the school.  Tim finished up chemo treatments on October 1st and is currently in remission!  Now Tim is slowly getting back doing the things he loves.  He is getting his hair back, jumping on the trampoline, attending scout meetings and camps, and doing physical therapy so he can play football in 2012!

Tim continues to fight!  He has been an example to many to stay positive and to never give up no matter how hard the journey may be.  Through Tim, his family has learned to appreciate the little things and to take life one day at a time.  It truly is the simple, little things that count in life.  Tim’s surgeon told us that many parents ask if their child will ever be the same after going through cancer.  His answer is “NO!  They will better!”  Tim and those who experienced cancer with him, are better and we all have “No Fear Here!”

Tim, holding the cast, which he "decorated" after his surgery. Yes, that is indeed Tim's own leg. The foot and ankle are rotated and replace the knee joint, giving him extra mobility as he uses a prosthetic leg.

Click here for a video produced by KSL TV about Tim and his Van Ness Rotation Plasty.