Bone cancer: Terrified teenage girl’s heartbreaking three words to her mother before she died of osteosarcoma
Just 10 days before a teenager tragically died from a rare bone cancer, she told her mother: ‘There’s something wrong’.
Anya Zuber from Armidale in northern NSW, was just 13 when she was diagnosed with the aggressive cancer, and over six years she underwent high dose chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
In that time, she was given the all-clear twice, but the cancer known as osteosarcoma came back again in 2020 when she was aged 19.
Only one-in-five survive the cruel disease after it returns.
Anya Zuber from Armidale in northern NSW , was just 13 when she was diagnosed with the aggressive cancer, and over six years she underwent high dose chemotherapy, radiation and surgery
Ms Zuber (pictured with her mum Elizabeth Egan) was just 13 when she was diagnosed
‘She just said, ‘Mum, there’s something wrong’, and 10 days later she was gone,’ her mother Elizabeth Egan told 7News.
Ms Zuber made her parents promise her death would not be in vain and they have honoured that, by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Anya’s Wish research project at the Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI).
Dr Emmy Fleuren of CCI said that thanks to the funding from Anya’s Wish, ‘We’ve been able to generate, at this point, nine new and unique osteosarcoma cells,’ which are used to test the effectiveness of drugs.
The project team has also identified other drugs it believes could successfully target osteosarcoma, but it needs more funding.
Nadya Landey of the Children’s Cancer Institute said all the money raised ‘goes towards research projects like Anya’s Wish’.
‘I know that Anya was dedicated to supporting research to find better treatments for children with osteosarcoma,’ Dr Fleuren said.
‘There is an absolute and unmet need to do something about these tumours and with Anya’s Wish we can do just that.’
Over six years Ms Zuber (pictured) underwent high dose chemotherapy, radiation and surgery for the aggressive form of bone cancer that mainly affects young people
‘Anya’s Wish was for her body and experience with the disease to be focussed on the ongoing research to end childhood cancer, particularly sarcoma,’ Ms Egan said before a fundraising challenge being held next month.
On October 15 people will take on challenges such as walking, running or cycling 19km.
The 19 is on honour of Ms Zuber’s 19 years.
‘Anya would be so proud,’ Ms Egan said.
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