WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Every year at least 1,000 people are diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. Children and teens make up about half of this number.

What You Need To Know

  • Pain and swelling from multiple knee bumps while playing basketball and sitting at a school table with a metal bar underneath  prompted aa doctor visit  

  • A hospital tutor helped Jasmine get through her school work, as she underwent chemotherapy

  • Jasmine's been cancer free for nearly two years 

Jasmine Konneker, 20, is no stranger to hard work.

“I learned that ... you can do it regardless of your situation. If you really, like, get on top of stuff, you're able to push through and get it done, especially if you have people surrounding you to support you and help you reach your goal. You're gonna make it, eventually.”

The sociology major just finished up her third semester at Otterbein University, but a few years ago, just getting through school took all she could. A few bumps to her knee, swelling and pain left her limping. And what she thought was just an injury turned out to be a tumor. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

“I didn't cry at that moment, but later on when dad called my mom, I started to cry.”

She was 17 at the time. Unclear of how she’d move forward, her high school froze her grades for the year. Chemotherapy filled the rest of her junior year and part of her senior year.

“Senior year hit (and) I was like man, like I really want to go to school, but I couldn't because I was still going through treatment. My immune system was low. I couldn't really be around that many people.”

In and out of the hospital for weeks at a time, Jasmine was determined to finish school and graduate.

“My mom would go to the school pick up my schoolwork and take it back to the hospital so I could do it. And there was a tutor at the hospital so she helped me a lot. And so, I just did that my schoolwork at the hospital she would drop back off, and then that's how I got stuff done.”

With treatment complete and a knee replacement, Jasmine made it back to school before her senior year ended. 

“I was so happy to go back to school and be around people I was tired of being in that hospital.”

With support and a resilient spirit Jasmine grew by leaps and bounds and even became prom queen. With nothing standing in her way, she graduated with a 4.1 GPA.

“This just brought a whole new meaning to my life, if you know what I'm saying. And maybe we appreciate things more — maybe appreciate being around people more.” 

Recognizing how valuable life is along with the people around her, it's now propelled Jasmine to stay on top of everything in college and to pay it forward. Today, she shares her journey whenever she’s able and helps people to understand the signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma before it’s too late. January will make two years that Jasmine’s been in remission. She’s a got a couple of more years in college before she graduates. When she does, she hopes to either become a parole officer or go into social work.