Athlete’s Determination Helps Her Face Cancer

When doctors told her she would miss her entire first year of high school because of chemotherapy treatments, Sherry refused to accept that outcome. “She did not miss a day,” says her father, Russ Wittkop.

Her determination throughout her osteosarcoma journey stemmed not only from her competitive spirit but also from a deep sense of faith and resilience. Sherry often says, “God does not give you anything you cannot handle, and He knew I could handle this,” Russ says.

Not Just Growing Pains

As an eighth grader in late 2023, Sherry began having leg pain. At first, she and her family thought it was growing pains. Her doctor recommended physical therapy, which helped briefly, but the pain soon returned.

By December, Sherry was limping, and her performance on the basketball court began to suffer. The family scheduled a doctor appointment for December 28, 2023, the day after returning from a Christmas trip to Mexico.

“They weighed her that day, and her weight was way down. That is when I got scared,” Russ says.

CT and MRI scans followed to determine the cause of Sherry’s pain. “That was when we heard the word ‘cancer’ for the first time,” Russ says.

On January 5, 2024, additional scans confirmed aggressive osteosarcoma in Sherry’s left femur and knee. The tumor was about nine inches long, likely no more than 90 days old, and had already spread to both lungs.

“I was shaking badly,” Russ says. “My wife said, ‘I hope she does not suffer with this until she dies.’ After about two weeks, we decided we were going to beat it. We rallied, and we got very strong.”

Taking Treatment One Step at a Time

Determined to fight the cancer, Sherry and her parents committed to the standard frontline treatment for osteosarcoma: MAP chemotherapy and surgery. This widely used protocol combines three powerful drugs (methotrexate, doxorubicin, and cisplatin), each with a distinct mechanism for attacking cancer cells and slowing tumor growth.

Alongside this care plan, the family also explored some alternative approaches, including supplements and dietary changes, that were inspired by anecdotal stories shared by other families. While some doctors voiced their concerns about these nonstandard therapies, the family remained transparent with Sherry’s care team, which ultimately fostered continued trust and collaboration throughout her treatment journey.

Despite the challenging side effects, Sherry’s first round of chemotherapy proved to be a turning point. “That is when she started winning. That is when she started gaining weight again. That [chemo] blast and the alternate meds started the tide turning,” Russ says.

Friends and family held a fundraiser, “Smiles for Sherry,” in March 2024. “The support was staggering, and we felt so good and excited,” Russ says.

Days later, though, the family received the devastating news that Sherry’s leg needed to be amputated. “It felt like being thrown in the ocean, in a wave. You’re just spinning,” Russ says.

Initially, Sherry’s surgeon recommended a high leg amputation, but that would have limited her mobility and put an end to her athletic pursuits. Then, the family met with Benjamin Miller, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Iowa City. He recommended rotationplasty, a procedure that removes the lower leg, rotates the ankle and foot, and reattaches them so the ankle functions as a knee. A prosthetic can then be attached to the foot, allowing for greater mobility than a high amputation.

“When she had that rotationplasty, she went out there and owned it,” Russ says. “She got home from the surgery, and she was out at graduation parties, wearing dresses and using crutches.”

Sherry also needed lung surgery. Her doctors did not want to pause her chemotherapy treatments so she could have that surgery, but Sherry and her parents pushed for a schedule that shifted the timing of chemo and surgery to allow her to start high school on time.

She has since had two more lung surgeries and recovered quickly from each. Her most recent operation took place on a Friday, and Sherry was back in school on Monday and playing golf a week later.

Returning to the Sports She Loves

Sherry learned to play golf with her prosthetic leg and joined her high school team. By the end of her first year, she made second-team all-conference. Now, she is focused on returning to the basketball court.

She continues to take an oral chemotherapy and supplements, along with maintaining a special diet. Her scans have been clear for two months, and as long as that continues, the goal is to discontinue chemotherapy after a year.

“All of the doctors and nurses have called her a rock star. She has handled everything as well as could be, and we hope and pray for a cancer-free future. She’s in a great space, and she looks amazingly healthy,” Russ says. “It’s a journey that can wear you down, but she is a wise, happy, caring soul with a deep competitive fire.”