A Gloucester teacher is taking on her first-ever marathon after losing her 31-year-old brother to an aggressive ultra-rare cancer that was initially dismissed as a muscle strain.
Amber Dunne’s brother, Ryan, was initially told a lump on his leg was a muscle strain but less than a year later he had died from sarcoma cancer. Amber, 28, a teacher, has never taken part in a marathon before but is determined to complete the 26-mile TCS London Marathon on 27 April.
Ryan, a financial advisor, found the lump on the back of his leg in April 2023. He had a phone appointment with his doctor who suggested it might be a muscle strain. Ryan had looked up his symptoms online and even suggested to the doctor that it might be sarcoma but he was assured it wasn’t.
A month later, the lump had not gone away and Ryan pushed for another GP appointment – this time in person. After he was seen, he was referred for a scan, which took place the next day. He was diagnosed with an ultra-rare CIC-DUX4 small round cell soft tissue sarcoma in May 2023.
Ryan then went through extensive treatment that Amber described as ‘excruciating’ – 30 weeks of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy. He had major surgery in February last year to remove the golf ball-sized tumour, which left him with 50 staples along his leg. Ryan was also offered a place on a medical trial in London to commence after his operation but he was never well enough to begin it.
This was because the cancer had spread to his lungs. His health deteriorated from then and he died in April last year – less than a year after his diagnosis. Aged just 31, he had a four-year-old son, Arthur.
Amber said of Ryan: ‘His cancer floored everyone and we are still in shock.’
Since Ryan died, Amber has raised more than £6,000 for charity Sarcoma UK, which campaigns for earlier diagnosis of the disease as well as better treatments for patients and helps fund research. She will be taking part in the London Marathon with her friend Sarah Young, 28.
Amber said: ‘We feel so motivated and inspired to raise as much money as possible to help people going through a sarcoma diagnosis. Donations will help researchers find answers and raise awareness to improve treatment and standards of care for sarcoma patients.’ Amber is pictured with Ryan and her parents.
Sarcoma UK’s Support Line Manager, Helen Stradling, said: ‘Ryan’s story highlights the critical importance of early diagnosis in sarcoma cases. When someone like Ryan specifically mentions sarcoma as a concern, and has symptoms to support that concern, it should trigger immediate in-person assessment. Lumps and bumps should never be dismissed over the phone – they need to be properly examined by a medical professional. Our Support Line is here for anyone with questions about symptoms or concerns – please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re deeply moved by Amber’s commitment to turning her personal tragedy into hope for other families affected by this rare cancer.’
To donate to Amber, go to https://justgiving.com/page/runningforryan#supportersList
