Ben

Ben celebrated his 21st birthday in March 2010, with even more reason to celebrate than most 21-year-olds.

While busy with his TAFE hospitality studies and looking forward to running his own hotel one day, Ben began experiencing pain in his hip and lower back, as well as tiredness and weight loss. It turned out to be Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and often fatal cancer of the bone and soft tissues.

Ben underwent aggressive treatment to attack the cancers found in his pelvic bone and lung. "I was shocked," he says. "I cried a bit, but I didn't really believe it until I started the chemo. One of the hardest parts was wondering if I was going to die."

Now, having just completed 43 radiotherapy sessions at Westmead Hospital, Ben is anxiously awaiting the final scans that will reveal his future. "I try to forget it and do normal stuff," he says, "but it's nerve-wracking."

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