A young man who fell at work and thought he had pulled a hamstring was left stunned after learning his pain was caused by a rare form of cancer.
Nic Cahoon, 25, from Maryborough in Victoria, was working in his printing job when he fell and hurt his thigh in June 2023.
Dismissing the injury at first, he became concerned when his leg was still sore two weeks later, prompting him to make a doctor’s appointment, Yahoo reported.
Mr Cahoon underwent numerous blood tests and scans, with doctors soon suspecting bone cancer.
After a bone biopsy was performed on the printer’s hip, Mr Cahoon’s results were shocking – he had stage one chondrosarcoma.
The 25-year-old had an eight-hour surgery just months later to remove the cancer and soon had to learn to walk again.
The husband first used a wheelchair then crutches before he made a full recovery and could walk unaided once more.
Mr Cahoon ‘felt lucky’ the cancer was caught in time, giving him the best chance for a full recovery as the growths had not spread and all were removed in surgery.
Nic Cahoon, 25, (pictured right) fell over on a work shift and sought medical attention when his thigh was still hurting two weeks later in June 2023
The young printer (pictured) was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer had had to undergo an eight-hour surgery and then had to learn to walk again
The relieved printer was excited to get back to work in May – nearly 12 months after his initial fall.
But tragically, at a routine medical appointment just one month later in June, Mr Cahoon’s doctors recommended further testing.
He and his wife Jayde were given the heartbreaking news that three more pieces of a tumour had been detected, but this time they were deeper in his pelvis.
The bone cancer Mr Cahoon had was now considered even rarer – chondrosarcoma in the soft tissue – which is resistant to treatment methods.
But in one silver lining, the 25-year-old is a candidate for a radiation and chemotherapy trial to be held over 10 weeks in Sydney, with possibly part of it held in Melbourne, depending on how he responds to the treatment.
Family member Michaela said Mr Cahoon is ‘nervous’ but ‘looking forward’ to the treatment.
‘He has hopes that this experimental treatment will be effective,’ she said.
‘He is so thankful for all the support he has received from his family and friends during his initial diagnosis and treatment, and the support they continue to show him through the fight.’
Michaela said as the trial is experimental there hasn’t been a start time given yet, but it should be ‘within the next month or so’.
After a routine medical appointment a year later, doctors told Mr Cahoon (pictured right) that more tumours were present and his cancer was even rarer than first thought
The family member said Mr Cahoon and his wife are a ‘hardworking couple’ and everyone had been ‘impressed’ at his strength.
‘Nic is the first to crack a joke, and so generous, he would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it,’ she said.
‘We have been so impressed with his spirit and determination to fight for his health, the journey of learning how to walk again showed real strength.’
Michaela said that the although the cancer Mr Cahoon has is usually resistant to chemotherapy and radiation, there was hope the new trial would be effective.
The survival rates for chondrosarcoma can vary and depends on factors such as the behaviour of the tumour, the patient’s age and the stage they were diagnosed at.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay for the couple’s travel expenses and ongoing costs.
