Boy’s shin bone sent for radiotherapy as he stays on operating table for 10 hours

Matthew Willey, 15, had a foot-long piece of shin bone taken out for radiotherapy treatment in a 10-hour operation to save his leg after he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

The boy went to his GP in January with pain in his leg, and was referred to Leeds General Infirmary where he was warned by doctors he could lose the limb. He was sent to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, after numerous tests.

His mother, Julie Willey, 51, of Barwick-in-Elmet, near Leeds, said: “Matthew’s reaction was ‘it can take my leg but it’s not having my life’. We just went to bits.”

He had intensive chemotherapy before undergoing the operation where his tibia was removed and taken by the surgeon to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where it was irradiated to tackle the cancer.

It was then re-implanted in his leg with his fibula, also known as the calf bone, used to strengthen the leg.

His father, William Willey, 42, said: “We were relieved they were going to save his leg because the feedback at first was that he was going to lose it.

“It’s better to have your own bone in there with a metal pin, and it will knit back together.”

After 10 days in hospital, Matthew returned home and re-started chemotherapy in Leeds. He is due to finish this at Christmas but will carry on being treated with a new bone cancer drug, for which doctors had to get specialist funding.

The drug, which cuts the risk of dying by nearly a third, has now been given the green light by NHS chiefs.

A metal frame has been inserted to hold Matthew’s leg together and he has also had to have a skin graft.

His parents said their son had been an inspiration and they praised the care he has received from the NHS.