A student who put her leg pain down to “learning how to drive” was diagnosed with a rare cancer — after a 10cm tumor was discovered in her thigh.
20-year-old Immy had just started driving lessons in January 2022, aged 17, when she began getting “shooting pains” in her left knee and thigh.
Initially, Immy and her parents, Lucy and Jamie Stead, both 51, thought she was experiencing “clutch leg” — pain from prolonged or repetitive use of the leg while operating the clutch — but it subsided after a week.
However, in January 2023, the pain in her leg returned “stronger than ever” and she went to her GP who prescribed her painkillers.
Despite seeking private physiotherapy, Immy’s leg pain persisted and a private MRI scan in January 2024 revealed Immy had a grapefruit-sized tumor in her femur and she was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare aggressive form of primary bone cancer.
That same month, Immy started 14 rounds of fortnightly chemotherapy and by September 2024 the tumor had “completely shrunk”.
On 26 September 2024, Immy had a four-hour operation including a full hip replacement and 20cm of her femur replaced with a prosthetic.
Now in regular physiotherapy, Immy has no sign of cancer and has since returned to the University of Bristol where she reads English Literature.
Mum Lucy is due to run the London Marathon on 27 April 2025 and has already raised over $28,000 for the charity, Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT).
Speaking now, Lucy, a primary school teacher, from Reading, Berkshire, said: “This has been the hardest time of our lives.
“Nothing could have prepared us for the news that Immy had cancer.
“We initially put her pain down to clutch leg because she had started driving lessons.
“But when it came back the next year, we knew we had to get it checked out.
“Getting the news was beyond devastating but thankfully Immy received treatment quickly.
“She’s always been a ‘no-fuss’ kind of girl and this didn’t change when she was going through chemotherapy.
“Her resilience and strength whilst navigating her treatment has been amazing- she’s my inspiration.
“That’s why I can’t wait to run the London Marathon at the end of the month.
“I want to give back to BCRT- any money that can be raised can go straight to their research and they can do more to help families like us.”
Immy had started driving lessons shortly after turning 17, when three months and eight lessons later she noticed a “sharp, shooting” pain in her left knee and thigh.
Putting it down to “clutch leg” the pain eventually subsided after a week by resting it only for it to return the following year in January 2023.
Immy’s leg pain continued despite being prescribed painkillers by her GP and attending NHS and private physiotherapy.
She then sought help from a private hip specialist in January 2024, where an MRI scan revealed that Immy had a 10 cm tumor growing on her femur.
Two weeks later, Immy was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare aggressive form of primary bone cancer.
Lucy said: “The news was devastating but Jamie and I felt we needed to put on a brave face for Immy.
“She was strong but in a lot of pain.
“Our main concern at that moment was what her treatment was going to look like.”
The following week, Immy started a course of chemotherapy at Oxford University Hospitals which lasted seven months.
“The treatment started working nearly straight away and thankfully the tumor started to shrink,” Lucy said.
“Chemo was a turbulent time for Immy, some days were better than others, but she never complained.
“I felt so proud of her.”
After finishing 14 rounds of chemotherapy on 26 August 2024, the following month on 26 September, Immy underwent a four-hour operation at the same hospital where she received a full hip replacement and 20cm of her femur was replaced with a prosthetic.
Medics then deemed Immy’s treatment and operation successful, with the tumor “completely gone”.
Now with no sign of cancer, Immy has check-ups every two months with an oncologist and has returned to the University of Bristol where she studies English Literature.
Speaking now, Lucy said: “We’re so thankful to the kind NHS staff. They saved Immy’s life.
“She’s building up her strength and mobility but she’ll get there.
“She refuses to let cancer define her and I couldn’t be prouder.
“I’m running the London Marathon for her and to highlight the amazing work of BCRT; they were there for our family when our world was tipped upside down.”
Kate Connor, Interim Director of Fundraising at the Bone Cancer Research Trust, said: “We are absolutely blown away by the incredible amount Lucy has raised by taking on the London Marathon in support of Immy.
“Her hard work and dedication to training and fundraising is bringing such hope to other families facing bone cancer, helping to fund vital research and support our work towards better treatments and a cure.”
