Dental nurse who found she had tumour eating into shoulder after tripping over dog now looking forward to ‘normal’ Xmas

A dental nurse who found out she had a 50-millimetre tumour growing and eating into the bone of her shoulder after tripping over her dog sent a shooting pain down her arm is now looking forward to a “normal” Christmas after undergoing surgery to remove the mass and having an 80mm metal plate screwed in its place.

Natalie Hunt, 27, a dental nurse, first noticed pain in her shoulder in early 2022, but it was not until she tripped over her dog in August that year that she noticed an unusual shooting pain in her arm.

Seeking medical advice, an X-ray revealed a mass, and further tests confirmed that she had a giant cell tumour, which is a benign tumour that grows in the bones – the mass was causing Natalie’s muscles to detach, resulting in the shooting nerve pain she was experiencing.

After undergoing surgery in December 2022 to remove the large tumour and replace it with a metal plate secured with eight screws, Natalie’s scans have since come back clear, and now the 27-year-old is looking forward to spending this Christmas with her family.

Natalie, who lives in Faversham, Kent, told PA Real Life: “Working for the NHS, I knew how quickly things happen when something is malignant, so I had a feeling it was serious when I was seen so soon after my X-ray showed that something was in my shoulder.

“Still, it was a shock to hear that I had a giant cell tumour and last Christmas was very difficult as it was three weeks after my surgery.”

Natalie first began experiencing pain in her shoulder in early 2022 but initially thought it was the way she had slept that was causing it.

She said: “I was putting it off like it was nothing but I eventually thought I should probably see a physio, I was waiting for an NHS appointment when I had an incident where I tripped over my dog.

“My dog tends to get under my feet, I didn’t actually fall, I caught myself and it should have been something minor which is why I was worried when I got the pain.”

The 27-year-old tripped up over Blue, the seven-year-old terrier cross, and felt a shooting pain up her arm.

Concerned that there could be something seriously wrong, Natalie sought medical advice at a minor injuries unit in August 2022 where she was given painkillers.

She said: “I went home and went to my GP on the Monday and my work referred me to my physio who sent me for an X-ray.

“I remember the GP telling me there would be nothing found, that I was too young, but the X-ray showed up a giant missing part.”

The dark mass on the X-ray was unexplained and so Natalie was booked in for a CT scan, an MRI and a blood test at her local hospital.

She said: “The consultant called me a week later and told me that I was being referred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital because the symptoms showed signs of cancer.”

In shock, the then 26-year-old underwent a biopsy the following week which revealed her diagnosis of a giant cell tumour.

Natalie added: “Getting the results, they started off by saying it wasn’t cancer which was an immediate relief but followed up by the news that it was a tumour.”

Attending the appointment with her parents, Natalie was told that the 50mm long tumour had been growing in her left shoulder and it was starting to detach her muscles, causing the shooting nerve pain.

Needing to undergo surgery to remove the mass, Natalie would need a bone graft as the tumour was “so big”.

Surgeons removed the large tumour in December 2022 and an 80mm metal plate was secured into her bone with eight screws.

Natalie said: “Right now it’s uncomfortable and I’m going to need more surgery to replace the screws as they’re too long.

“Recovery was slow and Christmas was difficult because I struggled eating my food and my mum was having to wash me. It wasn’t a normal Christmas so this year I’m looking forward to spending time with my family.”

Since her surgery, Natalie’s scans have come back clear and she is looking forward to making up for lost time this Christmas.

She said: “I have regular check-ups every three months which I think will change to once a year after December.

“This type of tumour is one that is likely to return so I don’t really know if it’s completely gone but the surgeon has said that he is happy with the surgery so I’m taking that as a positive.

“I’m hoping to enjoy my life being back to normal for a while now and enjoy Christmas with my family this year.”

Natalie is supporting the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) Charity’s Give Thanks campaign which supports the work of the hospital, which treats patients of all ages suffering from neuro musculoskeletal conditions, including spinal cord injuries, bone cancer, scoliosis, and acute hip and knee problems.

To find out more about the campaign, visit: www.rnohcharity.org/givethanks.