A YOUNG girl who underwent a rare procedure to reattach her lower limb backwards after bone cancer consumed most of her left femur, has been entertaining family and friends with piano concerts and dance performances during lockdown.
Ten-year-old Amelia Eldred, from Kingsbury, North Warwickshire, had her left leg amputated in January 2018 after the tumour caused her thigh to fracture, following a diagnosis of osteosarcoma cancer, in August 2017.
Her parents, Michelle and Richard Eldred, were told by doctors at Birmingham Children’s Hospital that if their daughter – who was seven at the time – didn’t have her leg amputated, the tumour would remain and the cancer would take her life.
They were given two choice of amputation; a full leg amputation from the hip socket down which would make it difficult to attach a prosthesis – if at all – or rotationplasty; where the affected bone is resected and the tibia is rotated 180 degrees to form a functional knee joint.
This type of amputation makes it much easier for a prosthetic to be attached.
The Eldreds chose the latter and she became only the 13th person to receive rotationplasty surgery in England.
Since then, she has lived an active life with her love of dancing and eagerness to return to dance classes motivating her when she had to learn to walk with a prosthetic in place.
During lockdown, Amelia has been practising her dance moves at home and in the family garden, whilst also learning to play the keyboard, enjoying twice-weekly lessons with not-for-profit music school Hot House Music, who have schools all over the UK.
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Amelia Eldred, two days after surgery to reattach her leg backwards
Next month, Amelia is hoping to be given the green light to be fitted with a blade, which will enable her to try her hand at athletics, too.
Mum Michelle said: “Her determination and strength of character never fails to amaze me. I am in awe of how Amelia just takes everything in her stride.
“We have loved listening to how much she has progressed with her keyboard lessons during lockdown. Amelia had piano lessons before she was diagnosed with bone cancer but these stopped when she began undergoing treatment.
“Once she returned to school, prior to the first lockdown, Amelia started to show an interest in music again and came home telling us how much she was enjoying the weekly sessions with Hot House Music, who would visit school every week to teach her class.
“She started having individual lessons on the keyboard, twice a week, before the latest lockdown but she has really excelled during her one-on-one online sessions with teacher Alison recently. Amelia’s keyboard is in the conservatory and we love to listen to her play.”
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Amelia playing the keyboard in the Eldred’s family home. She learned the keyboard with Hot House Music
The Eldred family – and dog, Tilly – have been getting creative during the most recent lockdown with family cinema nights in the garden and regular walks.
“For us, lockdown hasn’t posed too many challenges,” said Michelle.
“When Amelia was an in-patient at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where she underwent her chemotherapy, we stayed in hospital, isolated to the ward and returning home only for the odd day in between chemo cycles. The coronavirus lockdown hasn’t had quite as many challenges as that.
“We have missed seeing family and friends, going to the pub and Amelia has missed all the activities which she takes part in but we have coped really well.”
As well as being a talented musician, Amelia enjoys ice-skating, dancing, roller skating, rock climbing, swimming and riding her specially-designed tricycle.
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“As a family, after everything we’ve been through, we take every day as it comes,” added Michelle.
“She has good days and not so good days but her positive outcome is inspiring. Amelia listens, processes the information and finds a way to deal with that information.”
“Sadly for Amelia, she has seen a lot of friends die from cancer. We realise just how lucky we are, that Amelia is the fighter she is.”
Alison Jackson, Amelia’s keyboard teacher with Hot House Music, in Tamworth, said: “We are very proud of Amelia. She is an inspiration and her progress during the past few months has been incredible.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Kerry Ganly on 07734 723951 or email [email protected]
