A radiographer is sharing her cancer treatment journey involving a daunting leg amputation and the tireless work from a host of medical staff that made her return to work possible.
Joy Cole, 39, who was trained in Leeds, moved to The James Cook University Hospital in 2011 to work as a therapeutic radiographer. Here, she was involved in providing radiotherapy treatment and support to patients with cancer.
In October 2022, Joy noticed a small swelling starting to grow on the front of her left thigh while on maternity leave.
Following a brief period, Joy was referred to undergo an MRI scan on her left leg in December 2022. The next day, she was diagnosed with sarcoma, which is a rare type of cancer that originates from soft tissue or bone, on her left femur by her general practitioner (GP).
Feeling like the world had just collapsed, Joy said:
The GP showed me and my husband the MRI images and said the tumour was big and aggressive. When we saw how big the tumour was, we both thought we were going to be told it was incurable.
“It was four days before Christmas and my mind was buzzing with thoughts about how I was going to make my last Christmas with my children special.”
She was referred to the regional sarcoma specialists at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle where she started her cancer treatment and underwent chemotherapy from January 2023.
At the end of her first ten weeks of chemotherapy, Joy’s consultant informed her that her left leg needed to be amputated due to the extent of the tumour.
Devasted by the news but left with no alternative, Joy had her leg amputated on 6 April 2023 – the surgery was successful and achieved a disease-free margin of two centimetres around the whole tumour.
Following surgery and a further 20 weeks of intense chemotherapy sessions at Freeman Hospital and being treated for infections at University Hospital of North Tees, Joy was referred to the prosthetics team at James Cook.
Joy said:
“I was surprised to be referred to prosthetics at James Cook as I had been told by my surgeon that a prosthetic leg probably would not be possible due to my amputation being so high up.
“However, the prosthetics team said that although it would be very difficult to learn to walk with and to use it, they were willing to make a leg for me if I was willing to put in the work with it. I agreed and the process was started.”
With the expert help and guidance of senior specialist physiotherapist in prosthetic rehabilitation Sally Smith, the 39-year-old started her recovery process in the hopes of being able to walk again.
She said: “My walking training sessions soon became something that I looked forward to, being given the chance to learn to walk again when I did not think it would ever be possible was amazing.
“Sally and her team are amazing. I was determined to give it my best shot and pushed myself to achieve as much as I could.
The support and encouragement I received were invaluable and I felt like I was fully supported as a person, not just a patient. I was disappointed when I was discharged and did not have to keep attending the unit, but I can always go back and visit the team since I work in the same hospital.”
Finally, after undergoing months of walking training sessions with a prosthesis, Joy returned to work as a radiotherapy research radiographer in September 2024 where she currently coordinates clinical trials involving radiotherapy.
Sally said: “Joy was referred to us in our walking training sessions following her amputation. Even though she was exhausted after months of treatment, her positive outlook and determination were inspirational and made our treatment sessions with her a pleasure.
“She is an amazing individual and she should be so proud of herself, as we are all incredibly proud of her.”
Joy added: “Medical staff from different professions were important in allowing me to get home to my children which is where I desperately wanted to be.
“However, the prosthetics and physiotherapy staff at James Cook have been crucial in my recovery in a completely different way. I was physically healed before I was referred to them, but they allowed me and helped me to recover mentally.
“They helped me to realise that I was making great progress and should be proud of how far I had come. The teams were not just there for me to learn to walk, but to support me fully and I can never show them enough how grateful I am to them.
The combined support and help boosted my confidence and is the reason why I am back to work today.”