I first wanted to thank you for Emily’s guitar she really loves it. Bringing a smile to her face was just wonderful to see.

She said you wanted to hear her journey.

Emily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma( bone cancer) in 2002. Her primary tumor in her right leg. She underwent an intense high dosage chemotherapy for 7mons then surgery in which the had to amputate her leg just above the knee. She then continued with another six months of chemo therapy. She finished treatment in November 2003. In Jan she fell on an amputee rehab ski strip and fractured her femur. She spent the next 3 1/2 mons in a body cast. She then began rehab to learn to walk on her protheses. Only to fall again in Sept and fracture again. Then began weekly iv treatments to strengthen her bones do to osteopenia caused from the treatment. In February 2004 she relapsed with a tumor in her left lung. She underwent surgery in May and began chemotherapy again. But this time her kidneys shut down she spent several weeks in the hospital undergoing very painful treatments the restart her kidneys. In September she returned to school for the first time since her diagnoses and became a cheerleader for her school, she was great. Happy and doing good. In Jan 2005 she relapsed again and this time the tumors in her lung took over almost the entire lung. But Emily being a fighter started treatment again. That summer she did radiation treatments for 7 wks. She then returned to school in the fall cheering in between treatments. It wasn’t until Fall of 2007 that the tumors had shrunk enough to do surgery. They surgery involved removing 5 ribs and a large portion of her lung. Afterwards she continued treatments and rehab so that she could cheer again. She Finished treatment in May 2008 just before cheer camp. Only to have pain return this time there wasn’t a clear answer why. In wasn’t until Sept 2008 that we found out that she had another relapse this time in her intestines. Emily had surgery to remove the tumor and a portion of her intestines on December 1st. She began another fight with chemo in January 2009 and continues her battle. She spends her days learning to play her guitar, drawing and dealing with daily chemotherapy treatments. She is always optimistic and willing to fight.

Many blessings and Thank you again for fulfilling her dream of a guitar. She has been wanting to learn to play since the music therapy people started to teach her in the hospital but she had to give it up when she broke her thumb in the bathroom door at the hospital a few years ago.

Samantha Garcia