Woman’s Leg Nearly Amputated After Doctors Dismiss Bone Cancer Symptom

A woman is opening up about facing bone cancer and nearly having her leg amputated after doctors initially believed her symptoms were caused by muscle aches.

Gracie Butler from Sheffield, England, was 18 years old when she started experiencing pain in her right leg in 2011.

“I was like any other 18-year-old, at college, working part-time, going out and having fun,” she told the Teenage Cancer Trust. “I loved the gym and running, but I started to get what I thought were shin splints, so I eased off the fitness routine — not the fun — and the pain went away for a little while.”

With long work shifts on her feet, Butler’s pain ultimately persisted. Her leg was hurting so much that she decided to visit her general practitioner (GP). However, her symptoms were brushed off as muscle aches.

“The first GP diagnosed muscle aches and prescribed muscle gel, which I was instructed to use for two weeks,” she recalled. “At the second GP appointment I was diagnosed with tendinitis, signed off work for two weeks and prescribed a round of physiotherapy. Again, I followed the advice and the pain still didn’t improve.”

Accepting the news from doctors that she was okay, Butler continued life as normal and had a fun night out with her friends. “I felt young and free,” she recalled. But the following day, she woke up unable to walk. 

Butler’s dad, who was friends with their local GP, requested that she get checked out again.

“I went to the GP on the Monday and was sent for an X-ray on the off chance it was a hairline fracture, or something of that nature,” she said. “It was on a Tuesday the GP rang my dad to say he was coming round our house later that evening.” 

“I thought it was a bit weird but assumed maybe it was because he was close with my dad, that he might just be taking a relaxed approach and maybe he would say I had a fracture,” she admitted. “I sat with my mum and dad in the kitchen, my younger brother was asked to go upstairs and this was the point that the mood changed and things felt serious.” 

Butler said the GP explained to her and her parents that he suspected she had bone cancer. 

“I didn’t cry about it, I was thinking, ‘Right ok what’s the next step then?’ The news started to roll around in my mind until I needed to shut it up,” she explained. “My parents called my sister, and we spent the evening talking, playing music and being silly. Looking back now it seems unusual, I think we were all in shock and so the loud music and laughing about losing a leg seemed normal.”

A biopsy later confirmed Butler’s diagnosis. She had spindle cell sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that often affects the long bones in the arms or legs. Two weeks later she was meeting with an oncologist to discuss the beginning of a “tough” chemotherapy journey and a possible leg amputation to treat the tumor.

“I was almost likely to lose my hair, I might/might not keep my leg, I would likely go through menopause and not be able to have children, and they were not able to offer any promises in terms of outcomes,” she shared. “They described how this was an aggressive form of cancer and I was going to be spending the best part of the next year in hospital. When I asked if I could have my eggs frozen, I was told there wasn’t time.” 

“This was difficult information to hear and it was not sugar-coated,” she said. “I was numb and scared.” 

Butler was set to undergo treatment through the Teenage Cancer Trust, a cancer care and support charity in the UK that works to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. She underwent nine weeks of “the highest dose” of chemotherapy and then had an eight-hour surgery where her tibia was removed for radiation and then placed back into her leg.

“Treatment after surgery was unbearable. Chemotherapy was affecting the healing process and the 20cm wound from surgery was not closing; reoccurring infections caused the wound to become deeper and open even further,” Butler explained.

“In addition to this, the chemotherapy was causing my skin to burn and giving me internal ulcers throughout my body. A decision was taken to stop chemotherapy and regroup after a month. I was mainly unconscious during this period, while my parents and siblings dealt with the possibility of losing me to infection and the news that treatment needed to be stalled for my body to recover. In short, my body wasn’t coping with the treatment.” 

“The Teenage Cancer Trust unit supported my family during this fragile time,” she continued. “I was weak and tired and couldn’t do anything, but the specialized staff looked after me and sat with me when I felt alone, drained and sad.” 

Butler finally completed treatment in June 2012 and said her goodbyes to the hospital and medical staff. However, when she returned home to recover, her leg wasn’t healing properly. She ultimately was back in the hospital after developing sepsis. 

This was the beginning of a lengthy recovery journey for Butler.

Over the next 10 years, Butler had numerous surgeries to improve the condition of her “damaged” leg, as well as physiotherapy in order to help her walk again. During that time — and while in a leg brace — she also did what she was once told was impossible: She became a mother in 2015.

“I gave birth to a little boy, who is a miracle after being through such an aggressive course of chemotherapy, menopause symptoms and being told children were unlikely,” she said. 

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Butler was finally able to recover and was even strong enough to run her first marathon in 2023. She was brought to tears as she was cheered on by her loved ones during the race, writing in a TikTok video, “From bone cancer in my leg to running the #londonmarathon2023 for @Teenage Cancer Trust.”

Now 32, the cancer survivor now said she’s dedicated her free time to volunteering at a local charity to help others going through difficult health battles.

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“Working for a charity is hugely influenced by my experience with Teenage Cancer Trust. I feel that having cancer and being supported by amazing charities really shaped who I wanted to be,” Butler said. “Even though having cancer was really tough at a young age. It shaped who I am as a person and I will be forever grateful.” 

“I look back on my cancer experience with positive memories and know I am fortunate,” she added. “Fortunate to be here 12 years on, to have a leg that works and to have a beautiful son.”