Nineteen-year-old Hunter Bork is getting a routine check up, including an X-ray, bone scan, and MRI. Doctors are making sure Hunter's bone cancer doesn't return.
Three days before Hunter's 18th birthday - he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, the most common type of malignant bone cancer. After spending three months in the hospital, doctor's gave him a choice, either keep his left leg, wear a brace, and risk the return of cancer- or have it amputated. Without hesitation, Hunter made the decision to let Doctors remove his leg. Now, he's coming back in every few months to make sure he's healthy and cancer free.
"In my eyes, it's kind of a pre-caution for everyone else, because I don't really expect anything to change, but for family and friends, they always ask me, as soon as you find your results come tell me, I'm worried,” Hunter said.
But there's no need to worry after this visit. Hunter's tests show no sign of the disease.
That's good news for the teen, who believes "can't" isn't an option. Back in May, Hunter worked hard to get used to his prosthetic leg in time for high school graduation. Now, he's moving forward to the next step in his life: College.
Hunter's tackled another one of this goal's making the track and field team at Dakota Wesleyan University, but the achievement has come with a lot of hard work.
"The first few weeks, you know, not being used to my leg, my leg that was amputated got really soar and irritated and stuff,” Hunter said.
Hunter began training with the team in September, running five days a week. And his iron will is inspiring his team mates.
"Some days he's probably going through a little more pain, than other people, he doesn't show it,” Jordan said.
"I find it a lot in our workouts, when I tell him to do a certain drill or certain routine, a stretch, I tend to forget that Hunter is an amputee and everybody else is able bodied,” Patrick said. “He does everything everybody else does.”
While he's still building up his strength, endurance and speed, Hunter's come a long way. His running prosthesis was custom made for him. The bend under the knee represents the calf muscle and springs him forward.
"There's also a hole, and a ratchet, here, to where I'll insert the little plastic tong and it keeps it so, if the suction would fail, it can't fall off while I'm in mid run,” Hunter said.
Hunter's learned that by swinging his leg out, away from his body, he gets better time on his sprints. He says runners like him lose time by bending the prosthetic, because the leg takes time to catch up to the artificial leg.
“I'm able to run longer and faster, it's coming along really well,” Hunter said.
He's training to run in a 60 or 100 meter sprint.
"I ran track and played football, and when I lost my leg, that kind of took away my opportunity to play college football,” Hunter said.
Track only seemed fitting to be part of his college experience. Once Hunter starts competing in meets and improves his time, he hopes to one day qualify for the US Paralympic team.
“Coach Be
lling, he's really supportive, he says, if you wanna try and go all the way to the Paralympics I'm behind you 100 percent of the way,” Hunter said. “It's a long process for our goal, but that definitely is a goal, hopefully the U.S. Paralympic team,” Patrick said.
Until then, he'll keep moving forward, in track, in school, and in life.
“He works very hard so he definitely had a bright future, Anything he wants to do, he can do it,” Jordan said.
“I'm not really scared of what can happen anymore,” Hunter said.
The team’s first indoor track meet is in January. They're not sure yet if Hunter will compete in that, because it will be all able-bodied runners. But the coach says they're looking around to see if there are competitions in the region for amputee runners. Hunter is majoring in Athletic training.
