Osteosarcoma Survivor With Leg Amputation Models for Popular Fashion Brands, Oasis Guitarist Receives Cancer Diagnosis and More

From an osteosarcoma survivor modeling inclusivity in the fashion world to rock guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs being diagnosed with cancer, here’s what’s happening in the cancer space this week.

Oasis guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs receives a cancer diagnosis.

Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, guitarist and founding member of the rock band Oasis, recently announced that he received a diagnosis of tonsil cancer and is “gutted” that he will not be able to play upcoming shows that he had planned with Liam Gallagher, the lead vocalist and front man of Oasis.

“Just to let you all know I’m going to be taking a break from playing for a while,” Arthurs wrote on Twitter. “I’ve been diagnosed with tonsil cancer, but the good news is it’s treatable and I’ll be starting a course of treatment soon.”

Osteosarcoma survivor with leg amputation becomes a model for major fashion brands, H&M and Burberry.

At the age of 6, Iona Hay was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer), and subsequently had her leg amputated. However, more than a decade later, the 18-year-old is studying fashion design in Edinburgh, Scotland and working as a model for popular fashion brands, including H&M and Burberry.

Growing up, Hay did not see people with prosthetics in the mainstream media and is now glad to be part of the change leading toward more inclusivity in the world of fashion. “Inclusivity is so key in the fashion industry just now, we need to see everyone being represented and I’m so happy to be a part of that,” she said to the Daily Mail UK. “I have to pinch myself and often think, ‘this can’t be real,’ it’s crazy.”

Looking toward her future, Hay said that she may want to one day become a fashion designer that puts a focus on clothes well suited for prosthetic limbs, she said.

Before heading into breast cancer surgery, Patriots fan is surprised by a video call from the team’s quarterback.

Kara Doolittle was preparing to go into her fifth breast cancer surgery of the year when she received a surprise FaceTime call from Mac Jones, the quarterback for the New England Patriots, Doolittle’s favorite football team. As a result, the cancer survivor said that she was on “cloud nine” heading into the operating room and not scared at all.

“I caused a really big scene in middle of the cancer hospital because I screamed,” Doolittle told WHDH. “My favorite quarterback in the entire world was on my FaceTime.”

A few weeks earlier, Doolittle received a voicemail from the team owner, Robert Kraft, letting her know that he and the team were thinking of her as she went through cancer treatment.

“Robert Kraft left me a voicemail while I was actually in surgery two and a half weeks ago and I woke up to that which was so great. It’s just so personal, so sweet, so personal,” she said.

Cancer survivor walks from New York to Los Angeles.

Cody O’Connor, a 25-year-old cancer survivor who was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma at the age of 14, is finishing up a journey of more than 3,700 miles. The Cincinnati native walked from New York to Los Angeles raising awareness of the ongoing mental and emotional toll that a cancer diagnosis can have on patients and their family members.

The nine-month “Walk for Hope” started in New York in June 17, and since then, O’Connor has been averaging about 20-25 miles per day with the goal of raising $300,000 for the nonprofit that he founded in 2018 called Champions Do Overcome, which provides financial and emotional support for families facing cancer.


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