Bumping her shoulder led to South Australian teenage Tessa McHugh being diagnosed with rare bone cancer

It seemed like an innocuous bump but it ultimately led Tessa to a rare diagnosis, six gruelling surgeries and losing part of her shoulder all while still at school.

Tessa McHugh, 25 at home in Angle Vale, Monday, June 23, 2025. Picture: Matt Loxton

At the time, it seemed like an innocuous bump – but the pain Tessa McHugh felt on her shoulder wouldn’t go away.

So, the 16-year-old went to her doctor where she was ultimately diagnosed with a rare bone cancer.

After checking Ms McHugh, the GP sent her for an ultrasound, an X-ray and a CT scan.

“I was told it was mostly likely cancer, but they didn’t know what type,” the now 25-year-old from Angle Vale said of the December 2015 diagnosis.

She was referred to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital the following day for more scans and a biopsy.

Within a week, Ms McHugh was told she had stage 2 chondrosarcoma – a type of bone cancer and said she was in “denial”.

Tessa McHugh lost part of her shoulder to sarcoma when she was a teenager. Picture: Supplied

Tessa McHugh and her family. Picture: Supplied

“It felt like an out-of-body experience because I wasn’t expecting it,” she said.

“It was so emotionally difficult to cope with hearing these things.

“So many feelings all at once – I was very scared and very anxious. It felt really confusing, as well, because it hadn’t been something that I’d noticed across a period of time.

“It was only once I was bumped and it was really sore and the soreness continued.”

Following her diagnosis, Ms McHugh was sent home, with a plan to return in the new year for surgery to remove the tumour.

“They said the tumour was relatively slow-growing compared to other cancers … it had been growing for about nine months,” she said.

Ms McHugh underwent six surgeries across her final two years of schooling.

As a result, she lost part of her shoulder blade and part of shoulder joint, losing partial function in her arm.

Angle Vale’s Tessa McHugh, now 25 at home with her dog, Merlin, 6 months. Picture: Matt Loxton

Over the years, the cancer resurged three times after it was removed.

“I think it was really difficult to navigate being a teenager and trying to navigate all of these health things at the same time, and learning about my sense of self and who I was as a person,” she said.

“It’s really complex and traumatic to be diagnosed with any type of cancer.

“But I think there’s definitely an extra layer of complexity being diagnosed with a rare cancer.”

Since her last surgery in March 2018, Ms McHugh has had follow-up scans that show no signs of cancer.

“There’s no right or wrong way to cope with a sarcoma diagnosis,” she said.

Tessa McHugh celebrating. Picture: Supplied

Tessa McHugh riding a horse. Picture: Supplied

“I’ve learnt my feelings and experiences are valid, and it’s important to have self compassion.”

Nearly one-third of cancer deaths in Australians aged from 15 to 24 are from sarcoma, but the funding for research remains critically low.

In line with Sarcoma Awareness Month in July, Australian New Zealand Sarcoma Association chief executive Denise Caruso said research and trials were important in improving sarcoma patient’s outcomes.

“Clinical trials are studies are a crucial step towards advancing treatment options, accessibility of treatments and patient care,” Dr Carsuo said.

“Yet, sarcoma research continues to be passed over in the research sector due to a lack of visibility and awareness, impacting the lives of the over 2600 Australians diagnosed each year.”

Originally published as Bumping her shoulder led to South Australian teenage Tessa McHugh being diagnosed with rare bone cancer