Support Owen & The Caraways!

Dearest Friends, Family, and Caring Community,

We have created this page in support of Alice and Brian Caraway as their nine-year-old Owen has just been diagnosed with a rare bone
cancer—Osteosarcoma—in his right femur. To start, he is going to need three months of chemotherapy followed by reconstructive bone
surgery, then five more months of chemotherapy. There are still many unknowns about his condition and treatment plan, and we will be posting updates on their CaringBridge  as we learn more. 

The Caraways need you! They need your love, support, help, and company to get through what will be a long journey battling and
kicking Osteosarcoma's butt over the next year. As you can imagine, the financial and emotional toll of all of this is and will continue to
be overwhelming for the Caraways. Any gift you can give, large or small, will go directly to his treatment and care. Please also post this on your social media and send to those in your life who can offer support. 

I know we can all agree on two things: Alice, Brian, and Owen are some of the best people on Earth, and having your child diagnosed with
cancer is one of the hardest (perhaps the hardest) experience to go through. 

We have known Owen since the day he was born. He is family to us and to many. He is sweet, hilarious, insanely smart, multi-talented,
loving, and open-hearted. Watching him grow up has been a pleasure and an honor for us all. 

Signed with Love & Care

Friends & Family of The Caraways

A MESSAGE FROM THE CARAWAYS

We have been hit with the most devastating news a parent could receive. Our beautiful son, Owen, has been diagnosed with a rare bone cancer called Osteosarcoma. He complained of knee pain which we brushed off as growing pains. This was happening on and off for a few months until one day, it was so excruciating for him that he started crying. He went in for x-rays, then an MRI, then a biopsy, which confirmed the diagnosis. It has taken over 3/4ths of his right femur, and hopefully it hasn't metastasized into his lungs. The Orthopedic Oncologist doesn't know if he can keep his femur. The options are Limb Salvage Surgery or Rotationplasty, which both require a prosthetic leg. Owen will have to miss school this year and possibly beyond due to his treatment plan of 2.5 months of chemo, then surgery, and then he will undergo more chemo. If they find it in his lungs, he'll need additional surgery. Typically, if it spreads to the lungs, it will keep coming back. We are completely in shock and absolutely heartbroken.

Owen is an absolute gem of a kid. He loves cats, baseball, and he finally learned how to drop into a 4 ft ramp with his skateboard. He recently told us he wants to be an Olympic Skateboarder. He recently told us, "If I don't win an Olympic Medal for skateboarding, will you still be proud of me?" He is hilarious, loves to read graphic novels, playing Zelda, and comic books like "Garfield".



UPDATES & QUESTIONS! 

Please do reach out to the Caraways with notes of your love and support! They need it! If you have any questions about his progress, condition, etc., we will post updates here and you can follow his CaringBridge.  


 
RESOURCES FOR YOU

-Talking to your kids about Cancer 

-How to support a friend  who's child has cancer

UPDATES (SUBSCRIBE TO CARINGBRIDGE TO GET NOTIFICATIONS WHEN THERE ARE UPDATES)

 
8/18

Owen had his port installed yesterday and they removed a nodule successfully. The doctors said he could come home wednesday 8/18 instead of staying at the hospital for ten days. He just needs to show signs of eating. He had a hard time sleeping last night and threw up. So as of today they are still watching him.

8/17

Tuesday 8/17 they will install a port in Owen's chest to help administer chemotherapy. They will also remove a nodule in his lung on Tuesday 8/17. Then they will remove the other nodule a few days later. The following week, he will begin his chemo treatment through October. Then after that they will perform surgery. It will be either limb-salvage or rotationplasty. Afterwards, he will undergo about 6 more months of chemo, including physical therapy. He will need a wheelchair during recovery as well. Treatment should be over by next summer.