On The Up: Kerikeri teen Annabel Knight - from bone cancer to running with a blade

The NZ Herald today launches On The Up — a national campaign showcasing amazing stories of inspiration, success, courage and possibilities. We start with Annabel Knight, a brave 14-year-old who has been learning to walk and jog again after losing part of her leg to aggressive bone cancer. Annabel’s positivity and determination shine brightly as she shares her story — and dreams of sprinting thanks to a new hi-tech blade.

With the twist of a dial, Annabel Knight removes her prosthetic foot and swaps it for a sleek, hi-tech blade — ‘sports mode’.

The blade, with its own Nike rubber sole, helps the Kerikeri teen run, jump, swim, and surf, just as she did before bone cancer claimed her leg.

The 14-year-old’s nickname, “The Amazing Annabel,” is no exaggeration.

In three years, Annabel has gone from an 11-year-old girl diagnosed with aggressive osteosarcoma to a teenager in remission, embracing every day with a new leg and new hope.

Her journey has been anything but easy. She has braved 102 injections, 94 physiotherapy sessions, 29 rounds of chemotherapy, five blood transfusions, a couple of GI Jane-style haircuts, and a life-changing procedure called rotationplasty.

This innovative surgery involves removing the diseased bone and reattaching the foot to the thigh bone, but flipped over so it acts as a knee joint.

Annabel Knight lost a knee and part of her leg to cancer but a innovative surgery means she can use a prosthetic and remains upbeat and active. Photo / Supplied

When faced with a choice between attempting to save some of her leg, opting for full amputation, or rotationplasty, Annabel and her family chose rotationplasty for the best potential for movement and growth.

“I just wanted to do whatever I could to get back to normal as fast as possible,” Annabel says.

“I gave up my leg for cancer, and I didn’t want to give up anything else.”

It’s the same procedure that fellow amputee Jess Quinn, a Dancing with the Stars finalist, underwent at a similar age.

Jess had to relearn how to walk and progressed to dancing like a star. Annabel is mastering jogging and dreams of learning to sprint.

Because Annabel lost her leg to illness, not an accident, she only received one prosthetic through the public healthcare system. But funding from Barfoot and Thompson, through the Starship Foundation, meant she could get a second, a state-of-the-art “activity limb” — a blade specifically designed for sports and high-energy movement.

Annabel Knight has braved 102 injections, 94 physiotherapy sessions, 29 rounds of chemotherapy, and a life-changing procedure called rotationplasty.

Annabel’s new blade has unlocked a world of possibilities. She now attends the Össur clinic, a West Auckland facility designed for athletes with prosthetics, where she plays basketball, rugby, and tackles obstacle courses.

“It’s so cool because everyone plays as hard as they can because everyone has a prosthetic — and there’s no holding back because I’m a kid.

“There are paralympians and coaches there, and now I really want to learn to sprint. Right now, I can jog, which is awesome, but I want to get faster and more confident.”

Össur also produces “cool new prosthetics”, including ones that can hold onto a Jandal or slide without slipping off.

At Kerikeri High School, Annabel casually pops her blade into her bag, like any other student carrying sports shoes.

During PE, she twists the dial on her prosthetic, swaps out the foot, and slides in the blade.

She’s now getting top marks in PE but admits she gets a little frustrated when others in her class hold back when playing alongside her.

“At school, sometimes people go out of their way to make things easier for me, like hopping on one leg or avoiding bumping into me because they’re worried about hurting the kid with the prosthetic,” she says.

“But I’m like I promise you, if I fall on my butt, I’ll get right back up, I’m not going to break my spine.‘”

The benefits of her new sports blade have been life-changing, from improved balance and range of motion to muscle growth and a surge in confidence.

The benefits of her new sports blade have been life-changing, from improved balance and range of motion to muscle growth and a surge in confidence.

Unlike her foot attachment, the blade means she can go in and out of the water without taking the prosthetic off and drying it.

“She’s such a water baby. She can surf, rinse it off, and she’s done,” mum Abbey says.

“The daily prosthetic requires so much maintenance — taking it apart, cleaning it, drying it — it’s a process.”

Despite all she’s been through, her upbeat attitude remains unwavering.

“I try to stay happy no matter what. What’s the point of feeling bad about it?”

Annabel’s compassion extends to others. Even when she was having treatment, she gave back and raised funds for the Starship Foundation and the Child Cancer Foundation.

“I wanted to help the people who helped me. I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through, but I know some people will. It’s not a nice thing to go through, but you can get through it.”

Her family and friends have also given her much-needed support.

Hugs from big sister Elliott and support from family, including Abbey and Abbey’s partner Ant Van Gessel, have been essential in her journey.

Annabel Knight hugging school friends who have supported her. Photo / Corey Fleming

“One of the big things is having the right support,” she says.

“I can be a typical moody teenage girl like ‘Ugh, I don’t want to do this’ or ‘I don’t want to do that’, but my family and friends are always there.

“My school friends are always watching out for me, reminding me to keep my posture right and helping me reach my goals, like learning to sprint.”

Humour and acceptance have also helped Annabel get through her cancer journey.

“When she started losing her hair during chemotherapy, I was trying to save it, and she ended up with a matted mess like a beaver tail,” Abbey says.

“But Annabel showed incredible courage. I was trying to save it, but she just said, ‘I want it gone, it’s annoying.’ She handled it so well, and I had to take the lesson from her.”

Annabel's mum, Abbey Knight. Photo / Corey Fleming

Humour has also helped Annabel cope with the unprovoked interest from others in her new leg.

“I didn’t realise how much people stare until you are the people they are staring at,” says Abbey.

“When Annabel went out without her prosthetic, people would look at her backward foot and then throw their heads back when they figured out what they had seen. We’d joke, ‘Oh Annabel, you’ve just blown that person’s mind.‘”

Annabel would laugh. “I think I just actually made someone’s brain explode.”

Annabel’s advice to others facing similar challenges is simple:

“Keep hoping for the future. Keep fighting. It might be really sucky now, but once you get through it, you’ll appreciate everything so much more.”

“You’ll realise you can do whatever the heck you want.”

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