Eventus Recruitment raises over £1,000 for Bone Cancer Research Trust

The Eventus Recruitment Group supported the Bone Cancer Research Trust in February with its ‘100 miles challenge’ and to celebrate managing director Siobhan Courtney being 20 years clear of Bone cancer.

This involved the team during lockdown completing 25 miles per week by walking to complete the challenge through the wind, rain and of course some lovely sunshine.

Business owner and mum-of-two found a lump on her leg while pregnant with her first child. She was advised by doctors to wait till her baby was born before undergoing tests, which she agrees was “the right thing to do”.

Six weeks after the birth, a midwife urged Siobhan to have the lump checked out. One week later, she was diagnosed with an aggressive type of bone cancer called osteosarcoma.

The condition usually develops in growing bones and is most common in teenagers and young adults. It is most often found in the arms or legs, particularly around the knee joint.

“It was really hideous as it completely took over my life,” said Siobhan, who owns The Eventus Recruitment Group. “I wasn’t able to walk or feed my child because I was so ill. I developed a couple of infections too.”

Siobhan underwent six months of chemotherapy, and had all of her fibula bone and 30 per cent of the muscles in her leg cut out.

Before her diagnosis, Siobhan showed no other signs of cancer, and felt no pain until towards the end. Despite this, an X-ray revealed a nine inch tumour on the bone of her leg.

“At 28, I was a lot older than most patients with osteosarcoma, as it’s mainly a teenage cancer, which often gets misdiagnosed as growing pain,” she said. “I was one of the oldest people to have it.

“People aren’t aware of this kind of cancer, so if you’re a parent or patient and unhappy with the diagnosis, then ask for an X-ray. My GP had been practising for many years but had never come across it until my diagnosis.”

Now 20 years clear of cancer, Siobhan said she was one of the lucky ones and cannot praise the NHS enough.

Siobhan Courtney of Eventus Recruitment said “Raising awareness is the key to saving a life and we need to talk about it in schools, as it’s so common in that age group. I was one of the lucky ones and NHS staff were my absolute gods. My team have been amazing with supporting me with this challenge and we can’t thank everyone who sponsored us enough”.

A survey of 394 primary bone cancer patients, survivors and bereaved families showed one in four patients (26%) had waited more than seven months before receiving a diagnosis – with 13 per cent waiting more than a year.

The Bone Cancer Research Charity revealed a quarter of all patients (26%) made seven or more visits to their GP or other healthcare professional before receiving a diagnosis.

According to the charity, patients are faced with a five-year survival rate of just over 50 per cent.

You can find out more about the Bone Cancer Research Trust by clicking this link Home | Bone Cancer Research Trust (bcrt.org.uk)