When everyday aches became something more
The summer after fifth grade, Phillip’s life took an unexpected turn. What started as a sharp pain in his right leg soon spread to his back.
At first, it seemed harmless — an unstretched ligament, nothing more. But as the pain spread, Phillip and his family realized something wasn’t right.
“The pain started to get a lot worse to the point where it was starting to spread to my back,” Phillip recalls. “It hurt to get up every morning out of bed.”
The diagnosis no one expected
After an X-ray and MRI, Phillip stayed overnight for a biopsy.
Then came the call that changed everything. June 28, 2022—the day Phillip learned he had cancer.
The next day, Phillip was referred to Rady Children’s Health Orange County (Rady Children’s) and began chemotherapy.
Eight hours in the operating room
After three months of chemo, Phillip underwent an eight-hour surgery with Dr. Amirhossein Misaghi, who replaced 6 to 8 inches of his right femur with a nickel-cobalt prosthetic anchored into his tibia.
To reach the bone, doctors had to remove a large portion of muscle. Recovery meant rebuilding strength and flexibility through physical therapy.
Finding strength, and fluidity, in dance
“One thing that I was really worried about with musical theater was how this could affect my dancing,” Phillip says. “Before the surgery, I was already very stiff with my body movement. However, I feel like with the fluidity of the prosthetic, it’s kind of given me an advantage—it helps me move more fluidly.”
In his latest audition, Phillip didn’t just dance; he owned the stage. For a boy who once feared he’d never move freely again, it was a moment of pure triumph.
Back to the things he loves
Now cancer-free, Phillip is rediscovering the joys that once felt out of reach—singing and dancing under bright stage lights and hiking the rugged trails of Mount Rubidoux and Zion National Park.
His dad said, “Each week, we try to get a little further than we did before. When Phillip was able to make it to the top of Mount Rubidoux again post-surgery, it was really special.”
On a recent trip to Zion, Phillip tackled multiple trails, including one eight miles long. Running and climbing stairs remain challenging, but Phillip’s determination remains steadfast. The stairs on the eight-mile hiking trail didn’t stop him.
“We saw the stairs and thought, maybe we should turn around,” his dad recalls. But Phillip was determined. He said, “No, I want to see what’s down there.’”
Gratitude for the team at Rady Children’s
Phillip credits his care team for helping him regain mobility and rediscover what’s possible.
“Thank you so much for helping me get through everything,” he said. “For always helping me see the positive side of everything, and for keeping me informed about what’s going on with my body.”
A team that made all the difference
Phillip’s journey wasn’t just surgeries and treatments; it was about having people who cared about every step of the way.
The Hyundai Cancer Institute and Orthopedic Institute at Rady Children’s treats some of the most challenging pediatric cancers, including bone tumors like Phillip’s.
For Phillip, that meant a team of specialists working together to help him not only fight cancer but regain the ability to do the things he loves, like musical theater and hiking. To Phillip and his family, this care meant more than medicine. It meant hope, strength, and the chance to dream again.
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Learn more about the Hyundai Cancer Center at CHOC
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the cancer specialty.
