London Wallace was 9 years old when pain in his right arm led his family to Texas Children’s Hospital. Doctors found a tumor and diagnosed him with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer that most often occurs in children, teens, and young adults.

That diagnosis began a cancer journey that would span more than 20 years.

Today, London is 31. He has faced osteosarcoma seven times, including tumors in his arm, leg, face and eye socket. He has gone through chemotherapy, major surgeries, an amputation, radiation therapy, a clinical trial, and a personalized treatment made from his own immune cells.

In 2025, London completed his most recent round of treatment and rang the bell. More than a year later, his follow-up scans remain clear.

“I just pray and accept the outcome,” London said.

A rare diagnosis and a long-term care team

When London first came to Texas Children’s, Lisa L. Wang, MD, director of the Bone Tumor Program, noticed signs of Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, a rare genetic condition linked to increased risk of osteosarcoma. Coincidentally, this was the very condition that Dr. Wang had been studying.

Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis. London became one of the first participants enrolled in an international Rothmund-Thomson syndrome registry led by Dr. Wang, helping clinicians and researchers better understand the rare condition and its connection to osteosarcoma.

“The fact that he ended up here, where we happened to be studying this rare syndrome, is extraordinary,” Dr. Wang said.

That rare diagnosis shaped London’s care. It also made long-term support especially important. London benefitted from a team that included cancer doctors, surgeons, radiologists, physical therapists and other specialists. 

For families facing a bone tumor, that coordinated approach brings the right experts together early, helping create a clear treatment plan for a complex diagnosis.

Adapting to every challenge

London’s first treatment included chemotherapy and surgery. He went into remission for 2 years. When a new osteosarcoma developed in his leg, London had already received the maximum amount of a key chemotherapy drug. The care team needed to formulate a new plan.

London chose to have his leg amputated to reduce the risk of the cancer spreading. He later learned to walk and run with a prosthetic leg. By his senior year of high school, he had made the starting lineup on his basketball team.

For 12 years, London was cancer-free.

Then a new osteosarcoma developed in his face and eye socket. Surgery in that area required a highly coordinated team, including specialists in ophthalmology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, and ear, nose and throat surgery. But the tumors kept coming back, and traditional treatment was no longer an option. 

That’s when London received a personalized treatment, made using his own immune cells. London also participated in a clinical trial through UT MD Anderson.

“London’s treatment  evolved with each new challenge,” Dr. Wang said. “Every decision was based on his history and our knowledge of osteosarcoma.”

In July 2025, London completed his last round of chemotherapy and rang the bell, celebrating his first time being cancer-free in 7 years.

Life after treatment

Today, London is spending more time doing things treatment once made difficult. He fishes, plays mini golf, goes bowling and spends time with family and pets. He is a full-time trader, while returning to school to obtain his biomedical equipment technician degree. He also hopes to return to music, a lifelong passion.

Follow-up care is still part of life. London currently has MRIs every 3 months. If his scans remain clear, he will transition to MRIs every 6 months and will continued to be followed in the Musculoskeletal Tumor Clinic. The scans still bring some fear. But he likes seeing the Texas Children’s team, and he stays in close contact with Dr. Wang.

“She’s a super duper big help in my life and I’m grateful for that,” said London.

Finding strength in the present

London’s story also includes loss. His oldest brother died recently after stage 4 breast cancer. The two leaned on each other for advice, and London said it was hard to watch someone so strong face cancer while feeling powerless to help.

Still, London continues to look ahead. He is working on a book about his life, though he said putting such a big story into words has been harder than expected.

His advice for other families facing cancer is honest.

“You don’t know the future. Don’t focus on it — I know it’s easier said than done. Live in the now. Don’t let it bring you down,” said London. “Fighting cancer can make you feel alone and helpless, but I’m blessed with family and friends who’ve helped me along the way and I’m so thankful to them. To anyone facing a similar journey, I hope and pray my story encourages you to never give up and to keep going.”

For families facing a bone tumor, London’s journey shows why expert care, research and long-term support matter. Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, a joint venture of Texas Children’s and UT MD Anderson, cares for children and teens with many types of bone tumors, including rare and complex cases. For patients like London, that care can extend across many years.