Student who lost leg to bone cancer at 14 after ‘tennis-ball-sized tumour’ will run London Marathon to ‘push herself’

A woman who, at 14, lost her leg to bone cancer after developing a “tennis ball-sized tumour” is now managing her “health anxiety” since being given the all-clear and is running the London Marathon to “push herself” even further.

Amelia Mason, 20, from Portsmouth, developed a large lump on her right leg in October 2019, along with nausea, fatigue, night sweats, leg pain and a loss of appetite.

After her mother noticed the lump, in January 2020, she took her to a minor injuries unit where Amelia had an X-ray but the next day she said her GP told her she was “fine”.

Amelia’s mum then took her to the Queen Alexandra Hospital, where Amelia was diagnosed with a bone tumour and warned she might need her leg amputated.

After months of chemotherapy in 2020 failed to significantly shrink the tumour, Amelia underwent an above-the-knee amputation and was given the all-clear aged 15.

She returned to school and started university in 2025 while adapting to life with a prosthetic leg and regular pain.

Now determined to “prove” herself, Amelia is training to take on the London Marathon for the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Amelia, an architecture student at Arts University Bournemouth, told PA Real Life: “I wouldn’t go back and have two legs, because I think that having the amputation, and having cancer in general, has made me such a positive person, and I’m happier and more confident.

“But whenever I get nauseous now, all the memories of chemotherapy and cancer come back, and I get concerned that there must be something wrong with me.

“I overthink a lot which is hard but therapy has helped a lot.”

At 14, in October 2019, Amelia said she began experiencing persistent pain in her right leg, just below the knee, which was worse at night.

Over the following weeks she developed a loss of appetite, nausea, night sweats and fatigue.

A large “hard” lump also appeared on her right leg, and looked as if she had a “second kneecap”.

“I didn’t really think much of it at first but I think I was just so in denial about it, so I didn’t really mention it to anyone,” she said.

When her mum noticed the lump in January 2020, she took Amelia to their local minor injuries unit.

Doctors carried out an X-ray and said it could either be an injury that had not healed properly or a bone tumour.

Amelia added: “I think I tried to make jokes out of it because everyone in my family was quite concerned.

“The next day we went to the GP because we felt like something wasn’t right and they told me ‘You’re young, you’re fine, I can’t imagine there is anything wrong with you’.”

But, she was still referred to the Queen Alexandra Hospital, where doctors accessed the earlier X-ray.

Amelia was told the lump was a bone tumour and that she might need to have her leg amputated.

An MRI scan and blood test also confirmed the tumour was cancerous.

She said: “I remember my body feeling so cold and it felt like my heart stopped, it was scary.

“I knew I had to be positive because my mum was there and I don’t like seeing anyone cry.”

In March 2020 she began chemotherapy at the University Hospital Southampton.

The treatment left her feeling “nauseous” and “scared”, and she often developed oral thrush and blisters on her hands and feet.

She said: “I lost all my hair, but on a positive note all my hair grew back darker, which I prefer!”

The chemotherapy did not reduce the size of the tumour enough, so she was offered limb salvage surgery, where the affected bone would be replaced with a metal implant, but Amelia chose an amputation.

“I decided my quality of life wouldn’t be as good if I had the knee replacement – I wouldn’t be able to move as easily and it could have caused more issues down the line,” Amelia explained.

“I was relatively calm and I wasn’t scared about the amputation.

“I just sort of accepted the fact that it was going to happen from the beginning.”

On June 1 2020, she had an above-the-knee amputation and began adjusting to life with a prosthetic leg.

After the operation she underwent four more cycles of chemotherapy, finishing in November 2020, followed by six months of immunotherapy.

She was given the all-clear in March 2021, aged 15, and returned to school using a walking stick.

She said: “I was quite nervous, especially because everyone hadn’t seen me for a year – the last time they saw me was with hair and two legs, and now they’re seeing me with no hair and one leg.

“Everyone was very supportive, though.”

She continued with her school year rather than repeating it and began university in September 2025.

She said: “I’m always surrounded by people with two legs – things like going up stairs are hard for me and it looks different for me, so I’m scared people are watching me.

“It’s hard – I find going out at night really tiring and at uni I don’t really take my leg off until I’m in bed, so it can be sore.”

When meeting new people she often explains over time that she has a prosthetic limb and experiences regular pain.

She said she has a “very supportive” group of friends and a boyfriend she has been with since college.

“He never looked at me as a person with one leg, he just sees me for me, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better,” Amelia said.

“He and my friends don’t get annoyed and are understanding when I ask to take the bus rather than walking, to save my leg.”

But, she said she “gets nervous” and “overthinks” about wearing shorts and skirts in warmer months, as many people do not realise she has a prosthetic leg when she wears trousers.

She continues to have six-monthly scans with her oncologist at University Hospital Southampton and attends rehabilitation sessions at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital every six months.

She has since started therapy and realised her health anxiety worsened after cancer.

Amelia explained: “I was always told to speak to someone about it, but I was very reluctant to, not because I didn’t want to, but just because I felt like I had nothing to talk about.

“It’s really helped me understand my inner thoughts and also realise that I’ve still not gotten used to having one leg, and I’ve still not grasped the fact my leg will never come back.”

Amelia will be running the London Marathon for the Bone Cancer Research Trust in April 2026, which coincides with Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month.

Amelia is currently training using running blades.

“I believe strongly that this charity is worth running for and raising awareness about bone cancer,” she added.

“I wanted to push myself to be in an uncomfortable situation and to prove to myself I can still do things like this – I was a sporty person before my amputation and enjoyed running.

“I think once I’ve crossed the finish line I’ll want to do another marathon!”

The Bone Cancer Research Trust provide a free support and information service for anyone affected by primary bone cancer and bone tumours. Call: 0800 111 4855 or email: support@bcrt.org.uk

For more information, visit www.bcrt.org.uk.

To donate to Amelia’s fundraiser, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/amelia-mason-1750710170068.