What Should We Do This Saturday?
I KNOW!
Day 248
January 9, 2014
Team Zybko
Article from The Morning News
Written by Traci Bridges
That was just a few months after the then 8-year-old elementary school student was diagnosed with osteosarcoma — a type of cancer that starts in the bones.
Much has happened since then.
Just six days after his diagnosis, he began chemotherapy — a yearlong regiment of three drugs that essentially decimated his body. Within months, he was in a Medical University of South Carolina operating room for limb salvage surgery. Most of his femur was removed, as was his knee and the top of his tibia. An expandable implant took the place of the cancerous bone.
After the limb surgery and a minor setback via an infection on the incision that required reopening of the surgery wound, it was back to chemotherapy and physical therapy to rebuild muscle, regain balance and basically learn to walk again.
Owen completed his last chemo treatment in October, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the road for him. He had to have a thoracotomy on his right lung to remove a spot that had been present since his original diagnosis. Pathology results confirmed sarcoma, meaning the cancer had spread to his lung.
“Owen’s had quite a year,” mother Gillian Plasman said. “Right now, he’s doing physical therapy four days a week, and he’s made some amazing strides with his therapy. Next month, he’ll have his first follow-up scan of his lungs. We know it’s a possibility that the cancer will come back in that lung, since it had already metastasized there. Statistically, that makes it more likely to happen, but we try not to live in fear of tomorrow because only God knows what Owen’s tomorrow brings.”
In the meantime, the Plasmans continue to celebrate Owen’s life and successes — along with the entire community, which has been beside Owen and his family from the beginning of this difficult journey.
This weekend, the community will once again come together for Owen with the January Jam for Owen, an all-day concert benefit to assist the Plasmans with medical bills and other costs associated with Owen’s treatment and therapy.
The January Jam for Owen kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Southern Hops and will continue through the afternoon and into the evening. There will be live music from start to finish featuring six bands from across the Pee Dee and beyond. Admission is free, but there will be prize drawings throughout the day for those who donate to the cause.
Organizer Brett Williamson, who also worked on Rollin’ for Owen in April, said she and fellow organizer Sam Rogers realized the Plasmans have continuing needs and wanted to do continue to give them support.
“There are so many things that come with these situations, costs and expenses people don’t even think about,” said Williamson, whose son was born with a heart condition that required multiple surgeries and long hospital stays. “I know Gillian is taking Owen several days a week to therapy, which obviously has cut their income a good bit. So anything we can do to help them, we want to do. They’re already struggling with so much. I don’t want them worried about how they’re going to pay for things.”
Gillian said she and her husband, Paul, have been humbled by the support they’ve gotten from the community.
“We feel so blessed by the love and support we’ve been given. It’s almost a little overwhelming sometimes. We’re so grateful, but there are so many people in the world who are in need. We’re just extremely blessed and we realize that,” she said. “This town has been amazing.”
Owen will be at Southern Hops on Saturday and his mom said he has something he’d like to share with those in attendance.
“I asked him if he’d like to get up and thank people for all they’ve done for us, and he asked if he could give his testimony,” Plasman said. “This hasn’t been easy for us, but we know that God is in control and He has a plan — for Owen and for all of us.”
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