^^Angel^^ Shane C. - Quilt Finished in 2008
Born: November 16, 1990 - Passed: October 26, 2009
Illness: Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma
A Thank You From Shane's Family!
November 21, 2008
WOW WOW WOW!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
CATHY AND VICKI AND ALL THE QUILTERS FROM LOVE QUILTS THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. SHANE LOVES HIS NEW QUILT! HE IS SLEEPING WITH IT NOW! THE QUILT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU!
GOD BLESS ~
Love, Ranae C. (Shane's proud Mom)
From his webpage: Shane is resting comfortably with his quilt made from a very special group of ladies from all over the world, truly amazing talented women. A lot of time put into this quilt...Thank you all so much. Shane loves it!
Shane C.'s Story
Written for Shane's webpage
For those of us who have had the privilege of bringing children into this world, we all share that intense feeling of hope that they will live their life with the gift of good health. When they do get sick, it throws off our rhythm, makes us feel out of synch. Our focus and attention quickly turn to looking after them, caring for them, and nursing them back to health.
Shane's journey has been a much different one. In late 2005, he began to experience pain in his right leg. Life to that point has been pretty close to normal. Growing up as part of a close family that puts family first, Shane was cruising through life. Active in sports, a high achieving student, a great son, a thoughtful and caring older brother to Ciarra and Kenneth.
The pain in Shane's leg could not be more than that familiar pain many young boys experience as they grow rapidly and develop. But the pain persisted and intensified so we decided to have it checked out by a doctor. The day was January 3rd, 2006. The next day, Shane was diagnosed with Tibia High Grade Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma, a highly aggressive and life threatening form of terminal bone cancer. It attacks the tibia (shin bone) spreading rapidly throughout the body and eventually attacks the lungs. It came without warning and for no logical reason. Three out of one million kids are diagnosed with this rare form of cancer each year.
As the world was ripping apart around our family, Shane was already beginning the process of piecing it back together. I'm not sure where mental toughness and resiliency come from and why some people have them and some do not. Shane's toughness and resiliency operate at one speed only, FULL SPEED.
After his diagnosis, the doctors acted immediately and prescribed chemotherapy. This treatment puts a devastating strain on the human body. For an entire year, Shane was bombarded with chemicals that flowed through a central port connected to his heart. On January 6, 2006, the doctors performed a biopsy on his tibia and it was determined that he would have his leg amputated on March 24, 2006. The surgery took 10 hours to complete. Shane continued his chemotherapy treatments and a very slow healing process. He had a total of nine blood transfusions and four platelet transfusions. The chemotherapy made him so sick that he developed Neutropenia, a blood disorder that people can get while being treated for cancer with chemotherapy.
From the first day Shane got diagnosed to now, he has been a inspiration to all that know him. On May 6, 2008 he relapsed. The cancer is now in his lungs. Shane's story is one of courage, strength, and hope for a cure from this terrible enemy. Shane has been through not one, but two amputations within a year from each other. Shane's first year of chemotherapy was very harsh on his body, and made him quite ill having many blood and platelet transfusions.
Shane did get a lot of opportunities to do things while in the hospital, but he was just too ill. Shane would always pass on the opportunities to other children on the floor who were doing better, it made him feel good to do this. He even passed along a opening pitch at a Beavers game. He spoke at a Ronald McDonald House Charity golf event (two days after his second amputation). Our first family outing since Shane got sick we were invited to appeared on ABC's "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" through Sparrow Clubs USA and Shane helped build a serenity pond for "Boey", she was diagnosed the same month and year as Shane and we sadly lost her 12-28-07, she was a true warrior and friend. Shane even golfed in an event (The SAP Invitational) for The Ernie Els Fancourt Foundation to help other children in other countries.
He has shown us all great strength and courage. We are so thankful for everyone's love, support, and prayers through our new journey in life. Shane finally received his leg May 7th 2008. Shane’s first surgery was on May 20th to remove the cancer from the right lung and two weeks after that surgery he had another one on the left lung (on June 16th). Shane most recent surgery, double-lung on 9-10-08 the surgeons removed six more tumors. He is now at home and uses oxygen only with activity and will have a tutor until Jan 2009 then he will return back school to graduate.
1-03-06 Dx Chrondroblastic Osteosarcoma
3-24-06 Rotationplasty
7-23-07 AK amputation
6-16-08 cancer is back in both lungs
Twelve tumors removed many surgeries
9-10-08 double lung surgery
Update:
Monday, October 26, 2009 2:22 AM, CDT
Shane Michael C. "Cancer Warrior Shane" passed away early this morning 1:23 am to be with his father in heaven, he went peacefully. He was in his fathers arms when he took his last breath. Earlier that day he knew he was passing and we all gathered around Shane and prayed, laughed, hugged and told him that we all loved him so much, he taught us so much here on this earth a perfect example of our hero, a real Soldier in God's Army now.
