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When 14-year-old Claire Spedale felt a nagging pain in her hip two years ago, she blamed her physical activity as a cheerleader and soccer player.

But when the pain became unbearable, her mom took Claire to the pediatrician. An MRI scan revealed a suspicious mass in the pelvis. The Spedales immediately contacted , chair of Orthopaedic Oncology at MD Anderson. Within 24 hours, Claire and her family were at MD Anderson Children¡¯s Cancer Hospital, where they received a diagnosis of Ewing¡¯s sarcoma ¨C a cancer of the bone, soft tissue or both, that is most common in adolescents and young adults.

¡°The diagnosis was shocking, to say the least,¡± said Claire¡¯s mom, Jeanne. ¡°As a dermatologist, I often see melanomas and other skin cancers, but not sarcomas. I¡¯m grateful that we knew the right doctors with the right expertise who could guide our family to the right place for treatment.¡±

Claire¡¯s treatment consisted of chemotherapy and surgery. After pre-operative chemotherapy, she underwent an internal hemipelvectomy ¨C a surgery where a portion of the pelvic bone is removed, and in Claire¡¯s case, reconstructed with her own fibula.

While undergoing her first three months of chemotherapy, Claire participated in a study to determine whether exercise before surgery has a positive impact on the delivery and effectiveness of chemotherapy and on how a patient is able to perform activities of daily life.

¡°Staying physically active was still important, which made Claire the perfect candidate for our clinical trial,¡± says Lewis, who co-chairs the study with , assistant professor of Pediatrics Research.

Six months of chemo followed Claire¡¯s hemipelvectomy, and just 10 months after her initial cancer diagnosis, she rang the bell signifying the end of treatment. But Claire¡¯s cancer journey didn¡¯t stop there. Not long after ringing the bell, routine testing revealed an abnormality on the lobe of her thyroid gland. Claire was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma, a second cancer unrelated to her initial cancer. She didn¡¯t have to undergo chemo or radiation, but she did need surgery.

¡°As a family, we were focused on being positive throughout the process, and Claire was focused on getting back to normal as soon possible,¡± says Claire¡¯s father, Gerry.

With faith, family and friends in her corner, Claire persevered. Today, she¡¯s a sophomore at Episcopal High School in Houston where she recently made the Varsity Cheer Squad. She continues physical therapy twice a week at MD Anderson, has her own at-home workout routine, and gets scans every three months. After graduation, she plans to study fashion design in college.

¡°I feel blessed to have support from my family, friends and school,¡± says Claire. ¡°It¡¯s great to get back to living my life.¡±