Diego and His Victory Against Ewing’s Sarcoma

A year ago, Diego González, an 11-year-old who lives in Puerto Rico, was excited about being selected to participate in the Disney Soccer Cup—his first soccer tournament outside the island. However, he began to experience intense pain in one of his legs.

“It hurt from my knee to my hip… and the strange thing was that the pain only came at night. It was so strong that it made me cry,” Diego recalls.

These weren’t the typical growing pains that can affect children. The pain was caused by Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that developed in his pelvic bone and caused him intense discomfort. This type of cancer primarily affects the bones and, in some cases, the surrounding soft tissues.

The diagnosis deeply impacted Diego’s entire family. “When they said I had cancer, we were very scared, because on social media you read that cancer is deadly. But as time went on, things started to get better,” Diego recounts.

Hoping to receive specialized care, the family decided to travel to South Florida from Puerto Rico so that Diego could be treated through the International Program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a leading center recognized for its research and extensive experience in treating sarcomas.

“This type of cancer is rare; there are only about 200 cases reported each year throughout the United States,” explains Dr. Julio Barredo, director of the Pediatric Oncology Program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Therefore, its treatment requires a highly specialized multidisciplinary team, including pediatric oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, geneticists, and emotional support professionals,” he adds.

Pediatric patients like Diego receive care at alex’s place, a space specially designed for children and adolescents with cancer. There, the environment is warm and welcoming, and the approach goes beyond medical treatment, integrating emotional support for both the patient and their family. The goal is for children not only to overcome the disease but also to be able to resume their lives with strength and hope.

Dr. Barredo explains that Ewing’s sarcoma usually occurs in children around the age of 10, as well as in adolescents and young adults, although in rare cases it can appear in older adults. It is an aggressive cancer, and its treatment is also aggressive, including chemotherapy, surgery, and, in some cases, radiation therapy.

“When the sarcoma is localized in the bone and there is no evidence of a tumor in other organs, the prognosis is about a 70% chance of cure,” the doctor notes. “However, when the disease is metastatic and affects other organs, the prognosis decreases significantly, to about 30%.”

In Diego’s case, the cancer was localized, and there was no evidence of metastasis.

“The orthopedic surgeon was able to completely remove the tumor and reconstruct the area with a bone graft to preserve functionality. Because there was no residual tumor, radiation was not necessary, which is very important to avoid toxicity,” explains Dr. Barredo.

Diego is proud of his strength in enduring the complex treatment, the intense pain after surgery, the side effects of chemotherapy, and the rehabilitation process for his hip. He is deeply grateful to his medical team, whose instructions he always followed and who supported him throughout all stages of his treatment.

“Children have an incredible physical and emotional capacity to tolerate treatments,” says Dr. Barredo. “Here we see them receiving chemotherapy and, minutes later, playing as if nothing happened. But this process is only possible thanks to the comprehensive support of the medical team and the family.”

Upon returning to Puerto Rico, Diego received a heartwarming surprise: His schoolmates organized a welcome-back party for him. “I didn’t know anything about it, and I was so surprised,” he recalls emotionally.

Although he misses soccer, Diego acknowledges that returning to competitive sports would be difficult for now. However, he has discovered a new passion that fills him with excitement: acting.

With the experience he has lived through, Diego shares a clear and hopeful message for other children facing cancer: “Never give up.”                                          

Artículo y video escrito y producido por Shirley Ravachi para ‘Cuidando Su Salud’, una serie de historias relacionadas con la atención médica que se transmiten regularmente en Telemundo 51. Para más historias como esta, visite el canal de YouTube de Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Tags: AlexsPlace, ChildhoodCancer, Dr.JulioBarredo, EwingSarcoma, PediatricCancer, SylvesterComprehensiveCancerCenter