A Quarterly Newsletter 1st Quarter 2007 Ali Abbas is an energetic and cheerful 18 year old boy, and a much loved member of his family of nine. His father is a shipping manager for a local soft drinks company. He lives in Gujranwala, where he is a college student. In August 2003, whilst celebrating his 15th birthday, Ali fell off the water slide at a theme park, and hurt his left shoulder. Shortly thereafter, the shoulder became painful and swollen. An x-ray suggested the possibility of a bone tumour, and he was brought to Lahore for a biopsy, which confirmed the diagnosis of Osteogenic Sarcoma (bone cancer). Ali’s tumour was found to be involving the bone in his left upper arm, and involved the shoulder joint; the primary tumor was found to be at a difficult site to salvage. Ali’s parents consulted various doctors before finally bringing him to SKMCH&RC in September 2003. Ali's over-riding memory of these initial consultations before coming to SKMCH&RC is of his annoyance at always being asked to leave the room before his condition was discussed. As the patient, he felt, quite rightly, that his condition ought to be discussed with him. Osteogenic Sarcoma is the most common bone tumour seen in young people. It is highly malignant, requiring aggressive treatment with chemotherapy and surgery, and often needing amputation of the affected bone. Osteosarcoma is a very complex tumour to treat and requires the joint efforts of multiple specialists. Without appropriate treatment it is associated with a high rate of complications, as well as with a significant risk of death. However, if managed appropriately, the prospects of long term disease free survival are as good as 60%-70%. In September 2003, Ali was accepted for free treatment at SKMCH&RC. Consultants at SKMCH&RC took special care to prepare Ali, both physically as well as psychologically, for his long and difficult treatment, and helped him utilize his natural strength of character to prepare for the process. Ali still remembers the honesty and sincerity of the doctors and feels that their constant support and encoragement were crucial in helping him get through his treatment.
Luckily for Ali, the team of specialists at SKMCH&RC was able to expertly remove the tumour. His diseased bone in his left upper arm was surgically removed, along with his shoulder blade, and the shoulder was reconstructed using metal rods. Positive and lively in his thinking, Ali now talks about his time at SKMCH&RC as something he treasures. "This kind of opportunity does not come twice!" he jokes. He made the best of his time by watching movies and helping with welfare programmes at the Hospital. He now considers
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