When Nathan Chilton had 75 per cent of the right side of his pelvis removed and replaced with a titanium implant, he wondered if he would survive. Now, cheered on by his Coronation Street actress partner Sair Khan, he’s taking on a gruelling 75km trek through the Peak District.
Nathan, 39, from Stockport, had part of his pelvis replaced with titanium due to a very rare tumour called chondroblastoma. It accounts for about 1-2% of all primary bone tumours.
He was diagnosed in 2013 with chondroblastoma – a non-cancerous bone tumour. Nathan had been experiencing groin pain and had an MRI scan. It found a squash ball-sized lesion that was removed. But, years later, the tumour returned and much more extensive surgery was needed.
In 2022, Nathan had an internal hemipelvectomy, an eight-hour operation that involved removing 75 per cent of the right side of his pelvis. It was replaced with a titanium implant.
Nathan lost so much blood that he wondered if he would survive the surgery. He said: ‘I thought it was lights out. It was a very unreal place to be.’ There was also the risk that the metalwork would become infected.
He spent three weeks at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and, after the operation, had to retrain how to walk.
Nathan’s ordeal was not over, as, after the surgery, he was told the tumour had spread to his lungs. His health is currently monitored with regular scans. There has been a reoccurrence in his pelvis but the nodules on his lungs are stable.
Though he has always been active – he used to play basketball – the experience has changed Nathan’s outlook. ‘I started hiking as an outlet, to be in nature. I changed my perspective on life.’
Nathan, a chiropractor originally from Derbyshire who has a two-year-old son with Sair Khan, said: ‘Living with a benign bone tumour has been an absolute rollercoaster: Multiple surgeries, a lot of physical and mental pain, and even more uncertainty. But I’ve learned that you don’t have to let your struggles define you. Rather they help create a better version of you.
‘Adversity and obstacles create character, develop resilience and give you skills that are transferable in all areas of your life. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a tough ride, but it’s made me who I am today.
‘I want to negotiate challenges with grace and humility and leave a legacy of footage or videos showing people, especially my son, what is possible – especially after facing challenge after challenge of me living my life and doing the best I can.’ In addition, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2018.
It was during his numerous hospital appointments that Nathan became aware of charity Sarcoma UK. Even though Nathan’s tumour was not classed as a sarcoma, he went through the same medical route as many sarcoma patients – same specialists, scans and the same major operation. He has been detailing his medical experiences on YouTube @nathanchilton9232.
He will be raising funds for Sarcoma UK during his trek on 4 and 5 July in the Peak District. ‘I want to bring hope and inspire people who have had surgery,’ he said.
Sair, who plays Alya Nazir in Coronation Street, will be cheering on Nathan Chilton in his remarkable challenge.
Sarcoma UK’s Support Line Adviser, Carly McDonald, said: ‘Nathan’s story is really extraordinary. His experience, the surgeries, the uncertainty, the sheer determination to rebuild his life, mirrors what so many of the people we support go through every day. The fact that he’s now walking 75km on a pelvis that is largely titanium is just remarkable. At Sarcoma UK, we’re incredibly grateful that Nathan has chosen to raise funds for us, and we know his story will bring real hope to patients and families facing similarly daunting diagnoses.’
To donate to Nathan, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/nathan-chilton-1
