2018 P.J. Williams

Peter “P.J. Williams”

Bone Recipient

Age 17 ~ Cleveland, OH

Student

Honored by American Association of Tissue Banks

P.J. was diagnosed with a tumor in his tibia at just eleven years of age. A biopsy revealed that P.J. had bone cancer. He received his treatments and chemotherapy at the Cleveland Clinic where he was hospitalized until late August of 2012. He then found out that over 97% of his tumor had been eliminated by the chemo and that a new tibia was available for him, thanks to a tissue donor. Thanks to his treatment and the donated musculoskeletal tissue, P.J. is back in school and can be active in gym class and play alongside his friends again.

P.J.’s Story

Peter Williams, also known as P.J., suffered a leg injury at age twelve while playing in a pick-up football game with his friends in the neighborhood. The crazy thing is that this football injury might have saved his life.

When P.J. went in to get his leg checked out in May of 2012, doctors found something much more serious than a bone bruise, a muscle tear, or any other common injury that football brings about. P.J.’s injury was anything but common, as he was later diagnosed with a tumor in his tibia at just twelve years of age. A biopsy revealed the devastating news that P.J. had an osteosarcoma; he had bone cancer.

P.J. received his treatments and chemotherapy at the Cleveland Clinic where he was hospitalized until late August of 2012, when P.J. received some of the best news of his life. His doctors notified him that over 97% of his tumor was eliminated by the chemo and that a new tibia was available for him – thanks to a tissue donor.

P.J. said his life is much different these days as he is back in school and he can

be active in gym class and play alongside his friends again. One thing that especially makes P.J. happy is that he is able to do normal teenage things such as playing video games and going to car shows or the park, as well as the simple things that most people take for granted such as walking and talking.

Now 16, P.J. is excited to get his driver license and become a registered organ, eye and tissue donor.

“Donors are heroes,” P.J. says as he reflects on his experience. “To give away something like that, well, I really don’t have any words for it. They just are heroes.”