Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using this site to keep Bill's family and friends updated in one place.
Earlier this year (2016), Bill began to experience pain in his right hip. As he had hip replacement surgery nearly 10 years ago, Bill assumed that it was "hardware" related and took a few Alieves as needed. In early August, a lump was noticeable on his hip and initial scans confirmed that his artificial hip was not the problem.
Over the next month, the lump increased significantly and beganto put pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing Bill a great deal of pain. On September 14th, Bill had a biopsy done at Hunterdon Medical Center (HMC) and by Sept. 19, results confirmed a large soft tissue Sarcoma*.
If you are reading this page, you know Bill is a person who gives continuously to help his family, his friends, his church & his community. So it is now our turn to give back to him. And while a cancer diagnosis is an overwhelmingly frightening one, we have assured Bill & Judy that there is an army of supporters who will be there for them in the days ahead.
We appreciate your prayers of support and words of hope and encouragement.
*A sarcoma (
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/sarcoma) isa rare kind of cancer (
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/default.htm). Sarcomas are different from the much more common carcinomas (
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/what-is-carcinoma) becausethey happen in a different kind of tissue. Sarcomas grow in connective tissue-- cells that connect or support other kinds of tissue in your body. These tumors are most common in the bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, fat,and blood (
http://www.webmd.com/heart/anatomy-picture-of-blood) vessels of your arms and legs, but they can happen anywhere.
Although there are more than 50 types of sarcoma, they can be grouped into two main kinds: soft tissue sarcoma and bone sarcoma, or osteosarcoma (
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/what-is-osteosarcoma). About 12,000 cases of soft tissue sarcoma and 3,000 cases of bone sarcomas wereseen in the U.S. in 2014.
Sarcomas can be treated, often by having surgery to remove the tumor.
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/sarcoma (
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/sarcoma)
