Southern Indiana grandmother, grandson celebrate being cancer-free

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- A southern Indiana grandmother and the grandson she cares for both received devastating news last year on their birthdays.

They were both diagnosed with cancer.

Now after a year of heartache, treatments and surgeries, Janie and Felix, of Jeffersonville, can finally celebrate.

Last year, Felix Lewis had a birthday he will never forget -- but it was for all the wrong reasons. Last October, he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer that took the form of a large tumor in his leg.

Felix didn't want any celebration for his birthday.

Janie Lewis, Felix's grandmother, remembers it well.

"They actually told us that night that he'll probably be sent to Norton Children's and have his leg amputated that night," Lewis said.

It wasn't the first bad news Janie Lewis had received. Five months earlier, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer on her birthday.

The news of Felix's diagnosis came during her last week of chemotherapy.

Now, all her attention was on Felix.

"He asked me, was he gonna die?" she said. "And I said, 'Nanna didn't die.'"

A team of specialists at Norton Children's Hospital determined they could use cadaver bone and titanium to save Felix's leg.

"They have to cut a big, big, big incision," Felix said.

"Nowadays, for the most part, we're able to do limb salvage surgery and spare limbs. In the past, we used to have to amputate because we didn't have the technology to do that," explained Kerry McGowan, MD. "So Felix was very fortunate that we were able to do the surgery and remove the tumor and actually spare his limb function."

Felix's former classmates in Scott County, Indiana, rallied for him, sending him photos of them giving him the "thumbs up" symbol he often gave them.

A motorcycle rally raised thousands of dollars -- and Felix got to fulfill a dream, riding in a monster truck for Ride For A Cure.

He also got his own personalized Louisville Slugger bat.

"Scott County has been amazing," Janie Lewis said. "I want to thank each and every one up there because the whole community pulled together for Felix and I will always be grateful for that."

While Felix battled, Janie celebrated her victory over breast cancer and a double mastectomy in the Survivors Parade at the Kentucky Oaks this year.

Felix has returned to school after a year off to some inquisitive classmates with lots of questions.

"What happened to your leg? Why are you in a wheelchair?" Felix recalled. "Like, I had cancer."

"He's doing great," McGowan said. "He's really a remarkable kid."

Felix recently celebrated being cancer-free at Norton Children's Hospital, and in late October, he will be celebrating another birthday at home, with food and video games.

It will be a birthday worth celebrating more than ever.

Felix will have to go back about every three months for checkups, but he's getting stronger by the day as he continues rehabilitation.