Making a Difference with Every Step
- 25-year-old Cody O’Connor was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma 11 years ago, but now he is cancer-free after 54 days of chemotherapy, 25 days of radiation and six surgeries beginning at the age of 14.
- O’Connor plans to walk across the country to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and their families through his non-profit Champions Do Overcome.
- Ewing sarcoma is a rare type of cancer of the bones or the soft tissue surrounding the bones. It is most common in adolescents, but younger children, as well as adults (in their 20s and 30s) can also be diagnosed with this disease.
In fact, O’Connor was told he’d never walk normally again during his battle with Ewing sarcoma. Now the cancer free 25-year-old is walking across the country to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Read MoreLuckily, his community and his extended family came together to help. His grandfather, in particular, provided an immense amount of support for O’Connor by becoming his “battle buddy” and accompanying him during chemotherapy, transfusions and blood draws, among other appointments. Through it all, O’Connor realized his situation was far better than others.
“Not every child is this lucky. Not every child is lucky to have the large support group that I did,” O’Connor said. “Some children are sitting there by themselves completely by themselves because their parents can’t physically take off work… We want to ensure that no kid is left by themselves in the hospital. We also want to take off the stress from the family so that they can sit there and be together as a complete unit, and so that those kids, the other siblings, aren’t forgotten so that everybody as a whole is together.”
O’Connor’s 3,000-mile "Walk for Hope" begins on June 17.
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His trek goes from New York City to Los Angeles with stops in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Topeka, Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
O'Connor also wants to visit children's hospitals throughout his journey if COVID-19 restrictions allow it. He wants them to look at him a cancer survivor who was told he’d never walk normally again after his right fibula was removed and believe that their dreams can come true.
"I want this walk to shed light on the ongoing mental and emotional toll that cancer can have on a person and their family," O'Connor told WCPO 9 News. "I want this journey to spread positivity, especially following a year that has been dark to many."
Understanding Ewing Sarcoma
Ewing sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in bones or in the soft tissue surrounding the bones. It is most commonly found in adolescents, but younger children, as well as adults (in their 20s and 30s) can also be diagnosed with this disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some signs and symptoms of Ewing sarcoma include:
- Pain, swelling or tenderness near the affected area
- Bone pain
- Unexplained tiredness
- Fever with no known cause
- Losing weight without trying
Treatment for Ewing sarcoma depends heavily on the location of the cancer and the size of the tumor at the time of diagnosis. A doctor’s course of action may involve a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Sometimes the aggressive nature of these treatments can cause both short-term and long-term side effects. According to the Mayo Clinic, “lifelong monitoring is recommended” after completing treatment to watch for potential late effects of the intense treatment.
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