Too often people think the advances we have made, such as the treatments that contributed to my surviving, mean no one is dying from the horrors of Osteosarcoma. Using Google Alerts on the keyword ‘osteosarcoma’ I track all the Web content that mentions the disease and I can assure you we have not stopped this disease from taking the lives of young vibrant people. I don’t bring over all the stories I read that are sobering, depressing, and make me ever more thankful that I somehow managed to survive, but this story I just had to bring across and share. Sorry, but its time for a reality check.
Diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer in 2006, the then 15-year-old remained determined to live life to the fullest. It was a philosophy he maintained until the end – traveling to Alaska briefly just weeks before his death Sunday as a result of Osteosarcoma.
That resolve touched many in the community, which rallied together to throw a benefit for the family in May 2008. At the time, Cullen Kleftis was waiting for the results of some medical exams, but also planning for his senior program, graduation and a skydiving trip.
“Whatever these scans show, I’m not changing it,” he said of his schedule at the time.
This week, the community is rallying behind the family again. A Facebook page in his memory had more than 250 members as of Tuesday evening, and many more memories and sympathy messages were left on a CarePages site often updated by his mother.
Several individuals commented on how much their children had enjoyed having Kleftis as a counselor at a summer camp for children with cancer.
Others mentioned that they knew Kleftis only through a mutual friend of a brief meeting, but had been struck by his presence in that short time.
“Cullen had that effect with people,” his mother said. “If you just met him for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, he just had that effect. He just sticks with you.”
Kleftis moved to Clinton from Pennsylvania in 2007. By the time he graduated from high school in June 2008, he already had undergone three rounds of chemotherapy and at least four major surgeries.
The first removed his left knee and replaced most of the bone from his lower leg with metal rods. Others removed tumors from around his lungs.
Once an avid hockey player, he served as manager of the school’s varsity hockey team after his illness left him unable to play.
Clinton High School postponed a home soccer game Thursday against New Hartford until 3 p.m. Saturday to give players a chance to mourn “a brave 19-year-old Clinton Warrior who fought a long and courageous battle,” coach Gil Palladino said.
Despite continuing cancer treatments after graduation, Kleftis was able to attend one semester at Clarkson University this spring. He was studying engineering and earned the distinction of Presidential Scholar with a GPA of 3.9. for that semester.
He later enrolled in the engineering program at Mohawk Valley Community College to be closer to his family, but had to withdraw before the beginning of the fall semester due to his illness, his mother said.
“He put everything he had into school,” she said. “He did extremely well academically and socially. Just an amazing kid. Absolutely amazing.”
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Ps- Sorry – I also wanted to add that Cullen was 19 when he passed. He was 15when he was diagnosed.
I would like to invite you to join the osteosarcoma listserve (ACOR)
http://www.acor.org/osteo-sarcoma.html
You will "meet" lots of us (or family members) going through the osteo journey. We love to hear from long term survivors. Our group was hit really hard last week – We lost not only Cullen – but – Emma, Samantha and Ben.
My son is a 4x (the DX and 3 relapses) 9 year survivor. He was Dx'd at age 7 and is now 15.
see – https://www.carepages.com/carepages/FrankieGallegos