Jeremiah: Overcoming Osteosarcoma and Long Odds as a Baseball Star

As a pitcher and catcher, Jeremiah’s right arm was essential. He used it to strike out batters and launch hits into the outfield. He didn’t know what his future held when he was diagnosed with a bone tumor in that same arm. But that didn’t stop him from playing.

An osteosarcoma diagnosis

When Jeremiah was just 3 years old, his dad passed away from sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Since the cancer could be genetic, Jeremiah’s mom, Tiffany, brought him to Children’s Hospital Colorado every few months to get Jeremiah checked for cancer throughout his childhood and adolescence. Our team diagnosed him with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a genetic condition that increases the risk of developing certain cancers, often at a young age.

For years, Jeremiah’s screenings came back free of cancer. At 15, our experts cleared him in June, and he continued to train for his upcoming baseball season. In August, he noticed a bump on his arm and thought he’d pulled something. After a visit to his primary care physician, an X-ray identified what looked like a tumor in his right arm.

“It was hard to hear that,” Jeremiah says. “I was 15, just about to get my license and playing baseball, so it was definitely a world-shocking event because I didn’t know what it meant at the time.”

Our team found an osteosarcoma, a type of bone tumor. Jeremiah then started outpatient chemotherapy treatment and Tiffany prepared for another family member to receive cancer treatment.

Playing left-handed after osteosarcoma surgery

Our Orthopedic Oncology team found Jeremiah’s tumor had not only surrounded the bone, but moved into his lung. For his arm, he needed either a bone resection (removing a portion of the affected bone) or an amputation and a resection of his lung. To ensure Jeremiah could continue playing the sport he loves, orthopedic surgeon Nathan Donaldson, DO, and pediatric surgeon Jonathan Roach, MD, performed two critical surgeries: a resection of his arm and his lung.

“Dr. Donaldson was amazing and supportive and made sure he did what was best for Jer and what he wanted to do with his future,” Tiffany says.

After surgery, Jeremiah was doing well but had to wear a brace to support the use of his fingers. He had drop wrist, nerve damage that can happen when removing a cancerous tumor. It prevented him from picking up a gallon of milk, let alone playing baseball.

“Playing baseball and traveling with my mom everywhere, it was really hard to hear that I couldn’t play baseball again,” Jeremiah says. “I knew I could still play, but as a lefty.”

Between surgeries and treatment, Jeremiah decided he was still in control of his future. Cancer could take part of his right arm, but not the ability in his left arm. He taught himself how to play and throw left-handed.

“He didn’t let anything stop him and was determined to do what he loved,” Tiffany says.

One more diagnosis, one more surgery

Along with continuing chemotherapy, orthopedic and hand surgeon Sarah Sibbel, MD, performed a tendon transfer to treat Jeremiah’s drop wrist. After a successful surgery and with physical therapy and quarterly check-ins, Jeremiah was back playing fall ball left-handed and in remission. All the surgeries and treatments were worth it — allowing him to finish his senior high school baseball season.

“Not being able to play at the caliber I was at was hard, but I knew I would be back,” Jeremiah says.

And now he is back on the field with a different title: coach.