Sarcoma

General Sarcoma Patient Stories

• 

  Maria Bento

  Maria Bento and her husband, Jose, left Portugal in 1973 and moved to America - the land of opportunity. Once here, they built both a close-knit family and a successful construction business in Philadelphia. Maria, a strong-willed woman, has learned many lessons over the years. Most importantly, to trust her gut and to question the decisions of others. That lesson might have saved her life.

  Read more »

Leiomyosarcoma Patient Stories

• 

  Barbara Cremean

  Beating the odds is old hat to Barbara Cremean. In 1998, after dropping her daughters off at school, she was hit head on by a drunk driver. "I was on my way to the most important meeting of my career—and my life changed in an instant," recalled Barbara. She underwent spinal fusion surgery and started the long road to recovery. Little did she know, her serious health problems had just begun.

  Read more »

Liposarcoma Patient Stories

• 

  Michelle Santangelo

  Liposarcoma

  In the spring of 2011, Michelle Santangelo noticed a hard bump on her hip so she had her doctor check it out. The doctor ordered an X-ray which showed “fatty tissue in normal limits.” She followed her doctor’s recommendation, and didn't worry about it, especially because she was so healthy and active. Then in July, after a moderate mountain hike, she developed excruciating pain in her lower leg. She went to a general surgeon to have the growth removed the following month. Tests revealed she had malignant stage three liposarcoma, a type of tumor that grows within the fat cells in deep soft tissue.  

  Read more »

Osteosarcoma Patient Stories

• 

  Patricia Cantwell

  Imagine being 33 years old going to the dentist because you have pain in your mouth, likely caused by your wisdom teeth. So you have all of your wisdom teeth extracted but still have a throbbing pain. Your oral surgeon takes an x-ray and sees a bone fragment. He takes a biopsy, which is sent to a local lab, but they are unable to make a definitive diagnosis. The biopsy is then sent to the Mayo Clinic, where it is determined, 6 weeks later, that you have osteosarcoma - otherwise known as bone cancer, of the jaw.

  Read more »