An Ozarks Story: 9-year-old has success with experimental prosthesis
All Austin Snyder wants to do is ride a bike.
And his family hopes he will be able to in the future, due to the success of an experimental bone-growing device in his leg.
The 9-year-old from Mountain Home was diagnosed with osteosarcoma — a cancerous bone tumor — in September 2009.
Although the family had prepared for the diagnosis, it still was a shock to hear the news, said Austin's mother, Robyn Snyder.
"It's a roller coaster," Robyn said of the past three years. "One minute you're up here, and another you're down here."
When Austin was 7, Robyn and her husband Danny noticed he had started limping. He said his leg hurt, and at first they thought he was having growing pains.
But, when their normally active son signed up for flag football and wasn't running very much, they took him to the doctor. Robyn asked for an X-ray, and it showed an abnormality. They were referred to a local bone specialist, and an MRI showed an abnormal growth in Austin's femur.
