At 17 years of age, Craig King was a high school honor student and athlete playing football and baseball. With hopes of one day becoming a teacher, he graduated from high school and prepared for college. Then he got the news: Craig was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma--bone cancer--in his left leg.

Craig immediately underwent limb-saving surgery in which his tibia (lower legbone) was removed and replaced with bone from the bone bank. Using orthopaedic cement and other materials, his orthopaedic surgeon reconstructed Craig's entire knee.

Following his surgery, Craig underwent intensive physical therapy. "One of the biggest challenges was learning how to walk again," Craig remembers. He experienced significant pain in his leg for 6 to 8 months after surgery. "Physical therapy was hard, but the hospital provided a great support staff and my family and faith played significant roles in my rehabilitation," he says.

Osteogenic sarcoma is one of the most common types of bone cancers in children and young adults, and makes up 35 percent of all bone cancer cases. It most frequently affects the larger bones of the arms and legs. To prevent the spread of the cancer, patients with osteogenic sarcoma require surgery for removal of the bone tumors and surrounding tissues. To help patients maintain use of their limbs, new techniques and materials in limb-saving surgery, reconstruction and prosthesis are constantly being developed. Recovery requires extensive physical and occupational therapy, the use of prosthetic devices and often, counseling.

Although Craig is no longer able to play physically demanding sports, he was able to return to school and pursue his degree. Today, Craig is a third-grade teacher and active in many community organizations that serve children with cancer, most particularly "Camp Kemo."

"Without musculoskeletal research, I might not be doing the things I am doing today," says Craig. Additional research funding can improve the lives of people with bone cancer by helping to develop better surgical techniques as well as advancements in materials and technologies that can save limbs and may even provide a cure for the hundreds of children affected by this disease.