Words: Brigid O’Connell
Photography: Jay Town

Luca Luvera is back walking almost a year to the day since losing his leg to cancer. The seven-year-old was fitted with his new prosthetic leg at this week, after being unable to walk for the past year following a life-saving amputation.

In a radical procedure at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), surgeons used Luca’s calf bone to reconstruct the main length of his thigh. Because there were tumours in both his knee and, unusually, higher up on the femur, this surgical technique ensured his amputated limb was at its maximum length to fit a prosthetic leg.

Luca would otherwise have been forced to rely on crutches or a wheelchair for
the rest of this life. The Herald Sun captured Luca’s first time stepping out on his new leg.

With mum Anna and RCH physiotherapist Greg Cull proudly watching, Luca walked halfway along the parallel bars, looking himself up and down in the mirror and admiring each deliberate stride.

The boy, who has already asked when he can return to playing football and swimming, realised with delight along the way that he would always have one shoe that would never be sweaty.

Luca was diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer, osteosarcoma, on Good
Friday last year, after his complaints of a sore knee progressed to pains so severe he could no longer walk.

Anna and husband Rocco worked hard to hide their grief throughout the 20 rounds of chemotherapy either side of the surgery. They never used the word cancer and only told Luca about the amputation a week before the surgery by Mark
O’Sullivan.

“He was really positive, he just took everything in his stride,” Ms Luvera said.

“We gained a lot of strength from him. I think a lot of people did. He has never once complained.” A helpful boost to Luca’s mindset was the hospital introducing him to other
amputee children.

“One of the mums sent me videos of her daughter rock climbing and riding her bike. He saw he’d still be able to do things, that it wasn’t the end of the world,” she said.

“Hopefully we’re on the home stretch now. I don’t think we’ll ever be the same people we were, but our focus is about getting him walking properly and giving him the life he deserves.”

To donate to the Good Friday Appeal, go to goodfridayappeal.com.au or phone 9292 1166.