“Surprise!” yelled friends, family and Balaton residents who showed up to support Jess Hively last Friday evening.
But this wasn’t just a surprise party thrown for Jess’ birthday; instead, it was a celebration that she was still with them.
In June 2003, when Jess was in seventh grade, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that occurs when the body grows too quickly. After her diagnosis at Avera in Marshall, she was referred to Mayo Clinic’s Childrens’ Hospital. Her options were limited because of the size of her tumor, and the decision was made to amputate above her left knee.
After undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy, Jess went into surgery on Sept. 17. She continued to do precautionary chemotherapy for months following the procedure, and everything went smoothly. Jess was officially cancer-free and done with chemo in February 2004.
See more in this week’s paper!