After 2 years, this 8-year-old bone cancer survivor from Mission can enjoy Christmas again

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The United Way of South Texas is collecting contributions for the family, which will receive 100% of all donations. You can help them by calling the United Way of South Texas at (956) 686-6331 and ask about the Spirit of Christmas campaign.

MISSION — Six-year-old Sebastian Sanchez was running around playing soccer when he suddenly stopped and began lifting his right leg as if to keep pressure off it.

It was at that moment that Adiliana Hernandez, 26, knew that there may have been something wrong with her son.

“He was jumping on one leg,” Adiliana said, adding that it wasn’t the only change she had noticed in her son.

Sebastian had lost “a lot of weight” in a matter of months, from December to July.

That was nearly two years ago, and what’s happened since has proven to be one of the most difficult times for this family — a time marked by pain and fear.

Sebastian began complaining of knee pain in January 2023.

Adiliana recalled taking Sebastian to the pediatrician about four to five times to figure out what was happening. But each time the doctor would reassure her that nothing was wrong and that he must’ve just hit himself.

“He always complained about his knee; it would swell and he wouldn’t eat,” Adiliana said.

It wasn’t until July that Sebastian was diagnosed with bone cancer after being sent to an orthopedic doctor who took X-rays of his leg.

“When they gave me his diagnosis, in that moment I couldn’t think. I was in shock,” Adilian said.

The worried mother learned he had two tumors, one on his right hip and another tumor on his right knee.

After being diagnosed, Sebastian’s doctor was going to schedule an appointment with a hospital in Houston for treatment.

However, Adiliana did not want to wait that long and took him to Houston the next day in an attempt to start his treatment as soon as possible.

Luckily, the hospital took him in and began his chemotherapy.

“It’s difficult because we had never gone through a situation like this,” Adiliana said.

Her husband, Gilberto Sanchez, who worked tiling had to stop working for a while in order for the family to take Sebastian to Houston as well as other clinical visits, such as for scans to address his medical needs.

Sebastian spent three weeks in Houston, beginning his treatment in July 2023 and completing the 14 sessions of chemotherapy this November.

“We are waiting for his diagnosis, they took another PET scan to see if he still has a tumor or not,” Adiliana said.

Adiliana recalled her son who was once full of life having to use a walker when he was just 6 and until he was 7.

“It changed his life. He used to play a lot but when his knee started to hurt, he was no longer the same kid as before,” Adiliana said, adding that Sebastian had to use a walker for a while due to him not being able to put too much stress on his leg. “If he put too much stress on it, it could’ve broken because the tumor was really big.”

Now after about a year and half of treatment, Sebastian is back on his feet again and is even back on the field.

Adiliana explained that Sebastian’s love for soccer never faded as he powered through his treatment. In fact, he continues to ask for soccer-related gifts, more specifically a jersey of Lionel Messi.

The family wants for little but that doesn’t mean they don’t have needs. Pots and pans are what she needs the most right now, and whatever can make Christmas special for a child who finally, after two years, gets to feel a little joy again.