OT: Ohio State freshman OT Avery Henry diagnosed with osteosarcoma
Text (from his tweet): This isn’t the way I wanted to release this, but I know no other way. A couple days ago I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. I will fight this! I have never been a statistic and I never will! I want to thank my brothers and coaches for the endless support!
December 19th, 2022 at 10:23 PM ^
(from reddit): No other way to put it, osteosarcoma is a nasty, nasty disease. Absolutely gutted for the kid. Avery's a small town Ohio kid that earned his scholarship offer by losing nearly 100 pounds between his junior and senior years of high school. Just brutal.
December 19th, 2022 at 10:25 PM ^
You have my support too, along with Avery! Digging deep in prayer for both of you!
(Apologies, read that to quick regarding text.)
December 19th, 2022 at 10:27 PM ^
FYI this is the same disease that took the life of Meechie Walker. Prayers to Henry and his family.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:41 AM ^
Terrible news, and crazy that a disease this rare (1000 cases in the US per year) took Meechie and now an OSU player was diagnosed with it.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:29 PM ^
It's a cancer that affects children and young adults. (I'm guessing because their bones are growing rapidly.) I had a puppy who had osteosarcoma-- it was on her rib which made it inoperable (for a dog at least) Hopefully they caught it early enough and it is in a spot that they can operate on.
December 19th, 2022 at 10:27 PM ^
Michigan brothers and sisters, let's kick OSU's ass again - except this time let's make the scoreboard donations from Michigan fans vs OSU fans.
Fuck cancer and let's help this young man.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:47 AM ^
This part of the thread on reddit has the link to donate to The James cancer hospital at Ohio State. It also is the "scoreboard" for the donations. Giving is contagious, so if you can, post your donation.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:39 AM ^
Hey McHithard, just a follow up on the Meechie jersey idea from last week. Coach emailed back to say they were honoring him with the helmet sticker, which is awesome.
GoFundMe link for his family is below:
December 20th, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
Thanks for posting the link.
$45.23 Donated.
Go Blue!!
F*ck Cancer
December 19th, 2022 at 10:29 PM ^
I am very sorry to hear this. Osteosarcoma just claimed the life of the inspirational Meechie Walker. Hopefully Henry makes a full recovery and takes a few more whoopings from Michigan. Fuck Cancer.
December 19th, 2022 at 10:39 PM ^
Oh man, that’s a real long road for that young person. I wish him the best
December 19th, 2022 at 10:44 PM ^
This is awful to hear. Fortunately OSU has a renowned cancer hospital so hopefully he'll get the best treatment possible, this is one Buckeye I'll be rooting for
December 19th, 2022 at 10:49 PM ^
God damn it...just sickening. Fight like hell Avery.
December 19th, 2022 at 10:56 PM ^
Awful news to hear. Especially after Meechie's passing recently, as others have mentioned.
Hopefully, they caught it early enough to start treatments.
The Rivalry is one thing, but being a human is another - hopefully there is some kind of outreach between Meechie's doctors and those treating Henry as well as the respective friends and families. Cancer comes in many forms but emotional support is universal.
December 19th, 2022 at 11:03 PM ^
Terrible news. Prayers for this young man. This is one Buckeye we should pull for.
December 19th, 2022 at 11:06 PM ^
Osteosarcoma is awful. I’d rather just take a bullet to the brain. The 5 year survival looks superficially promising, but only because, if you’re lucky enough not to show up at the doctor with disease that’s already systemic, sometimes it takes a while to spread. But in the majority of cases it does and will spread, despite aggressive treatment. And metastatic osteosarcoma is almost invariably fatal. If you get this in your teens or twenties, it’s got a two-thirds chance to kill you - or worse. Often slowly.
And while it is of course critical to be treated at a speciality cancer center, don’t fool yourself into thinking there are “new treatments” or “experimental therapies” that will help you. Oh no, not for most sarcomas. With sarcoma, they have made little progress in 50 years. You will get the same drugs that your grandpa would’ve gotten - multiagent chemotherapy with brutal side effects - and you’re going to like it, because it’s the only thing that gives you a 25% chance of survival, if it hasn’t spread yet, which it might’ve. All those great new things you’ve heard about that have revolutionized oncology? For the most part, not for you. Chemo, radiation, and aggressive surgeries are going to be the treatment that squeezes a few more years for you. Most of the time you can keep the leg. But not always.
Why am I so dark about this? Partly because sarcoma killed by father - though in his case, blessedly, his tumor was so aggressive and so badly located that it put him underground within a year. But more so because not withstanding the fuck cancer and loading the money cannon and whatnot, there has been almost no progress made against osteosarcoma in half a century. And this is a disease that harvests young men in otherwise perfect health. Instead of feel-better platitudes, think about political change to better support research into orphan diseases like osteosarcoma; which doesn’t affect enough people to be a rational focus for private pharma investment, but kills young men all the same.
December 19th, 2022 at 11:30 PM ^
Drz - unfortunately you speak the awful truth about this horrific disease.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:11 AM ^
DRZ
Thanks for posting this; I was recently speaking with some students about just this topic except in a rehab context. I pondered (as did they) how it could be that we basically use the same near century old treatments for so many cancers (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) given the billions raised for research and innovation. Very frustrating discussion as cancer has touched the lives of most people in some way.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:47 AM ^
My many years as a pediatric oncology nurse...I know this all too well. Osteosarcoma is relentless. Heaven help this young man and his family.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:00 AM ^
I wish this statement was wrong, though it most decidedly is not. Osteo sucks and as a scientific community, we have not done enough and breakthroughs have been scarce. A substantial contributing factor being the financing structure you reference. One could argue that holds true across pediatric/young adult cancer in general. The American Cancer Society is keen on having cute bald kids in their commercials, while funneling the significant majority of their funds to adults (who have insurance and are in the workforce). I can assure you, that there are people who have dedicated their lives to curing this disease, but it would always help to have more. If people are interested, there are a handful of orgs who focus on pediatric cancer research (and some focused primarily on pediatric sarcomas) who could always use support. I’ll post the links once I’m done in clinic, seeing patients with pediatric sarcomas.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:12 AM ^
Stretch , I know you can't speak on it but we have a little friend getting an important scan at Riley today with Sarcomas.He's a classmate with my daughter and Both have be been each others biggest cheerleaders along their journey.
Appreciate the hell out you and everyone in this field.
Hoping for the best for Avery and his family!
December 20th, 2022 at 4:05 PM ^
I'll very much hope for the best for your kiddo's pal and their scans today. They're in good hands (whomever they are) with the colleagues that were there in clinic today. I have a general principle that if I ever see anyone in the hospital or clinic wearing anything related to Michigan, that I stop and say "Go Blue" (or pretty much anywhere I see someone in Michigan attire, according to my wife). If they're also Michigan fans, I've probably at least introduced myself in that manner :)
Just to followup my earlier post, here are a handful of excellent peds onc related foundations that do great work focused exclusively on pediatric cancer (I do not have a vested interest in any of them, though a lot of my friends in the field have received grants from them at different points along the way. This is not an endorsement, or an exhaustive list, just provided as a resource if folks are inclined to check them out.).
Alex's Lemonade Stand (pediatric oncology focused, lots of grants that range from junior faculty/young investigators through big projects) https://www.alexslemonade.org/
St. Baldrick's (pediatric oncology focused, similarly broad range of grants as Alex's above) https://www.stbaldricks.org/
National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (pediatric oncology focused, support focused on early phase clinical trials and bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic). https://nationalpcf.org/
Quad W (sarcoma focused, plus some other aims) https://www.quadw.org/
December 20th, 2022 at 9:33 AM ^
Sarcoma is far too complicated and heterogeneous for any one person, or even one team of people, to solve. It’s going to take a village - and money.
Crazy fact: Michigan has spent more money in the last 3 years working to defeat Ohio State than the Sarcoma Foundation has given out as grants in its entire history.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:16 AM ^
I’m a UM grad, a physician, and 5 years out from being diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Fortunately, in my case, it was caught before it spread and I’ve been cancer free for 4 years now (essentially cured). You are right though… the year of chemo (doxorubicin and cisplatin) were absolutely miserable, along with a big surgery right in the middle. At least i got it a little later in life. Anyway, there is hope if caught early enough (metastatic spread usually goes to the lungs). My prayers go out to this Buckeye, as well as Meechie’s family.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:59 AM ^
I know two people, one of whom is a cousin and was treated at Michigan, who had osteosarcoma. Both found out after suffering leg injuries playing basketball, which ended up being blessings in disguise because the doctors caught the sarcoma in the process and early. The treatments and surgical procedures were absolutely brutal but thankfully both have been in remission for a number of years and are leading healthy lives. Praying for the best for Henry and may we never forget Meechie--may his memory be a blessing.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:35 PM ^
Is there an Osteosarcoma foundation? Quite often breakthroughs come initially because of funding from a medical foundation which is usually begun and run by grieving families. (I'm thinking of the newest CF treatments, the initial funding for research was directly attributable to the CF foundation) And that's where I'd send my donation.
December 19th, 2022 at 11:24 PM ^
Man, that is just awful news for this kid. No one should have to deal with this kind of illness at such a young age, with his entire life ahead of him. Fu** cancer. Rooting for you, Avery!
December 19th, 2022 at 11:40 PM ^
Do football players on scholarship get any type of insurance through the University, or is it strictly football-related injuries? I assume just football.
December 20th, 2022 at 3:47 AM ^
Hopefully, between his parents' health insurance, OSU student insurance, and OSU football medical coverage, Avery has medical insurance to cover his treatments.
Best wishes to Avery.
December 19th, 2022 at 11:58 PM ^
Absolutely horrific
I wish the young man the best in his road to kicking cancers ass and then getting his ass kicked on the field.
In all seriousness though do whatever you can to support Avery Henry
December 19th, 2022 at 11:58 PM ^
Poor kid, hate to see people go through this. Prayers for him and his family and for a quick recovery. This type of stuff is always heartbreaking stuff to hear.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:07 AM ^
I am quite saddened for this young man and, in ways, this sort of diagnosis puts some context into the rivalry and it's broader meaning in "real life".
Best wishes in your recovery, Avery.
December 20th, 2022 at 6:34 AM ^
That's brutal. Wishing him the best.
December 20th, 2022 at 7:59 AM ^
Prayers to this young man F cancer.
December 20th, 2022 at 7:59 AM ^
Prayers to this young man F cancer.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:07 AM ^
Fuck off, cancer. Avery is going to kick your ass up one side and down the other.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:33 AM ^
Humanity >>>>>> Rivalry.
Get well soon Avery. We're all praying for you.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:34 AM ^
Cheering for him to win this battle…
December 20th, 2022 at 8:56 AM ^
This is very sad news....I hope this young man can make a full recovery against the odds.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Hopefully he can recover and live a healthy and full life.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:21 PM ^
One can only wish for a miraculous cure for this kid. Just awful to hear about this for anyone, let alone an 18 year old.
Hope my dad gets through chemo he’s starting today as well. Pathetic hijacking on my part, but whether or not prayers work, my dad would appreciate them.
Honestly didn’t intend to post about dad, but I don’t seem to be able to stop myself.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:57 PM ^
Prayers up for your Dad.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:28 PM ^
FU$K YOU, CANCER!
December 20th, 2022 at 6:58 PM ^
Standing with our OSU friends in support for Avery. This is unfair and sucks. This is real life and it brings out what is most important in humanity. We must put aside rivalries and stand together as brethren against cancer. I will pray God’s blessings on Avery and his family.