F E AT U R E In 2018, Pasadena resident Cairn Atkinson underwent a hemipelvectomy and had her left leg amputated due to a rare form of cancer known as epitheliod sarcoma.
Overcoming OBSTACLES
CAIRN ATKINSON IS A HIP AND LEG AMPUTEE WHO SURVIVED A RARE FORM OF CANCER BY KAMALA KIRK
Photos by Luis Chavez
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n 2018, Cairn Atkinson was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer that would change her life forever. One night after work, she was getting ready to attend Bible study but was suddenly overcome by a strange feeling that told her to go home instead. “For the past eight months prior, I had been experiencing severe sciatic pain in my left butt area,” Atkinson says. “When I got home that night, I felt fine so I decided to work out on my yoga trapeze device, which is flipped upside down like a hammock with handles on the sides. I was on it with my feet together like a diamond, then all of a sudden it felt like something flicked my hip and I lost control. I fell right on my back and was in so much pain. The next day I couldn’t walk, so one of my friends drove me to the ER.” At the hospital, Atkinson learned that she had a large tumor in her hip. The following month she was diagnosed with epitheliod sarcoma: a rare, slowgrowing soft tissue cancer. “Growing up, I would get tired and sick easily,” Atkinson says. “When I was in high school, I would come home and lie on my bed after school because my back hurt. At concerts, I would get dizzy and had to sit down a lot. Epitheliod sarcoma is a childhood cancer, and I was diagnosed with it when I was 28. Looking back, I always felt compromised and probably should have gone to the doctor sooner, but I was a procrastinator. Now I encourage people to go to the doctor right away just to be safe.”
In December 2018, Atkinson underwent surgery to remove her left hip and leg. After nine days in the hospital, she came home. The process of adjusting to her new normal was challenging, and Atkinson had to relearn how to do everyday things like walking and driving. “It was a very difficult time for me, but I got through it and things slowly improved,” Atkinson says. “I had lost a lot of weight, and after my surgery I was very weak. I made sure to have things around me that made me comfortable, like my stuffed animals, blanket, diffuser and favorite essential oils. I’m pretty independent, and I can still drive. There are some things that are harder for me to do on my own, like emptying the dumpster bins, but my husband Joseph helps with the things I can’t do. He’s been so supportive, loving and compassionate throughout this whole ordeal.” After her surgery, Atkinson started wearing more vintage-style dresses and outfits because they were comfortable and easy to put on. She also participates in photoshoots and partners with clothing brands and local businesses like Vintage Treasures and Antiques in Arcadia, regularly posting her latest outfits on her Instagram account (@smooth_hop_erator). “Growing up, I was a fan of old-fashioned movies and TV shows like ‘I Love Lucy,’” Atkinson says. “I love mimicking the hairstyles and outfits from those days, and I just want to show people that you don’t have to have all your limbs to be beautiful and fashionable. I would love to get more into modeling and acting.”
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