Hughie's story - Giant Cell Rich Osteosarcoma

“He was an incredibly healthy man. He was a sports teacher who was obsessed with exercise and being active.”  

Hughie and his wife Rosie had moved to Hampshire with their three-year-old son Rory, and Rosie said it felt like everything was going to plan. She said: “Hughie was the most amazing father. He was a really fun dad, and we had started to think about having another baby.”  

In February 2020, Hughie started experiencing pain in the groin area. Initially he thought it was a sports injury after not stretching properly and he made appointments to see an osteopath.  

In April, the couple were delighted when Rosie found out she was pregnant with their second child. However, Hughie’s pain was not getting any better and he had started to limp. In May, he went to A&E, where he was told he had broken his hip.  

“It seemed crazy as he had been jumping on the trampoline just before, and they continued doing further tests over the next few weeks. I remember really clearly driving him to hospital for an appointment. I waved him off and thought he would be back in a couple of hours."

“I Face Timed him and I could see he was frightened, and he said, ‘They’re talking about cancer’.”  

Hughie was diagnosed with Giant Cell Rich Osteosarcoma, which had weakened the bone and caused the broken hip. In July 2020, he had to have hip and partial femur replacement surgery, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy. 

“He hated chemotherapy, and I found that time really scary, but the doctors were very confident that it had been successful. He was given the all-clear six months later and in January, I gave birth to our second son Rafferty. It was a joyful time as the treatment had finished and we had something so positive to focus on again.”  

A few months later, Hughie’s pain returned, and he underwent weeks of tests which confirmed that the cancer had come back in the same place.  

He underwent further surgery to remove and rebuild half his pelvis. He was in hospital for two weeks after the operation and had very limited movement when he came home. He had three months of chemotherapy and was told he was cancer-free again.  

Just two months later, the pains returned once more, and scans showed the cancer had spread to his lungs and spine.  

“The doctors said that it was terminal and there was nothing more they could do. Hughie couldn’t do the things he wanted to and be the father he wanted to. I remember him saying ‘I’m not going to see the boys grow up.’  

“In March 2022, Hughie moved to a hospice, and he tried to give the boys as many memories as he could. Hugh would read Rory a story and he also recorded himself reading more bedtime stories too." 

“I was frightened to tell Rory what was going on, but I had to say that the doctors couldn’t make daddy better.”  

Hugh died on 10^th April 2022. Rory was five and Rafferty was one.  

“It’s just impossible to think about what we have been through as a family and what we are still going through."

“It’s so hard as I am saying ‘we have to get through it,’ except it’s not ‘getting through’, because it makes it sound like there’s something on the other side and there isn’t. It’s always going to be there with us.  

“I try to talk about Hughie every day with the boys. I like talking about him and it helps keep him around. He is a huge part of my life and my identity and it’s so important for the boys to know him.  

“He was a young, healthy, fit person and I hope that I can help raise awareness to help others. My advice is that, if there is something you are worried about, to get it checked out.”