‘I Can’t Envision Life Any Differently’: The Inspiring Belief of Cancer Survivor Chloe Osborn

If it weren’t for what she describes as a “terrifying” diagnosis, Chloe Osborn would have been dribbling a football and pursuing her Matildas dream as she stepped into her teenage years. She might have spent her afternoons playing with her puppy or laughing with friends at school.

Instead, 18 months of her life were spent confined to a bed at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, bravely fighting the disturbing repercussions of a fierce bone cancer known as Ewing sarcoma.

“Not everyone made it out of the hospital, but I was fortunate enough to be one of the survivors,” Osborn shared with Wide World of Sports.

Now, nine years later at the age of 21, the furthest this Paralympic swimmer can walk is a single step.

During this year’s competition at the Paris La Defense Arena, where the young athlete from Sydney’s Hills District debuted and won a medal, she wheeled herself to and from the competition blocks.

She did so with her radiant smile on display. For her family and friends, whose admiration for her positivity in the face of adversity knows no limits, this was entirely expected.

On Saturday, Osborn marked eight years of being cancer-free.

She’s up for Young Athlete of the Year with a Disability at the NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony on Monday.

Tears of pride welling in her eyes, Chloe’s mother reflects on her daughter’s journey since being diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in January 2016, when she was just 12 years old.

“To see how far she’s come—from a healthy, active 12-year-old to facing chemotherapy and battling cancer, and then returning to where she is now—is just incredible,” remarks Kerilyn Osborn to Wide World of Sports.

Chloe recalls the beginning of her cancer journey as a “very frightening” and “horrific” experience for both her and her family.

“It all started out with uncertainty, and getting the news that it was cancer was immensely frightening for a 12-year-old,” Chloe reflects.

“The moment I lost my hair was the first sign of the challenge ahead. It came before the nausea and fatigue set in. Losing my hair was a stark reminder of the reality, and once the sickness hit, my concerns about hair loss took a back seat.”

“The real challenge became the constant battle against the sickness.”

“But it was losing my hair that initially hit home and made me realise, ‘Oh no, this is real; I actually have cancer’.”

Chloe underwent a significant spinal surgery where a large portion of her vertebrae was removed, along with the tumour once it was accessible.

However, the ordeal was only just beginning.

In just two years, as a result of chemotherapy, radiation, and the crucial yet highly invasive surgery, Chloe experienced such extensive nerve damage that she transitioned from walking with a limp to barely walking at all.

Throughout years seven and eight, she couldn’t attend school and was taught at home during years nine and ten.

“It was incredibly tiring. I felt sick constantly, weak, and struggled to leave my bed most days. For about 18 months, I was mostly bedridden,” she reflects.

“I made an effort to get out whenever possible, but it was exhausting, and I was perpetually unwell. It was an exceedingly challenging time.”

Chloe has consistently radiated positivity.

“During that time, I aimed to remain as upbeat as possible. I believed that if I kept smiling and pushing forward, I would be just fine, and that mindset helped me through it all,” she shared.

“I never allowed myself to dwell on the worst-case scenarios—I focused on the best outcomes and that positive thinking carried me through, I believe.”

She initially started swimming as part of her rehabilitation.

The fact that she’s now a Paralympic medallist, securing silver as part of the Australian 4x100m freestyle (34 points) relay team in Paris, is something she can hardly fathom.

Chloe also took part in the 100m freestyle S7, 400m freestyle S7, and 4x50m freestyle (20 points) relay events in Paris.

Nowadays, besides needing to navigate her world in a wheelchair, she copes with osteoporosis, particularly in her spine, and ongoing nerve pain.

“I consider myself fortunate if I manage to get a restful night’s sleep,” she says candidly.

For Chloe, maintaining a positive outlook is the only option.

“I don’t see any other choice. What’s the alternative? To adopt a pessimistic view? Who wants to live that way? Why would someone choose to go through life with a negative mindset?”

Her mother is in awe of her strength.

“No barrier can deter her. She never asks, ‘Why me?’; she simply gets on with it,” Kerilyn observes.

“I prefer to speak positively and uncover the good in every situation,” Chloe adds, “and I can’t picture living any other way.”