Not About to Give Up After Amputation

Guðrún Ólöf Gunnarsdóttir is not about to give up. Last summer, she learned that due to cancer, her right leg would have to be amputated above the knee. Her goal is to be able to wear heels again without the support of a cane.

She was interviewed by the health section of Morgunblaðið . “I don’t want to be the type who feels sorry for herself,” she states. “Every time my thoughts become negative, I try to do things that bring me peace and bring me closer to my goals. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes I do a few push-ups, and sometimes I start knitting.”

She refuses to let misery take control. Life is diverse, she states, and all of us face obstacles.

“There was nothing I could do to prevent this illness, and everyone is ready to offer support. There are so many kinds of diseases, and some people aren’t as lucky as I am when it comes to getting support. I keep reminding myself of that while I’m recovering.”

Around Christmas time in 2020, she began noticing pain in her leg. On top of that, she felt pressure in the leg, and as time went by, she began stumbling more and more often.

She saw a doctor in June and was told shortly thereafter that she had developed chondrosarcoma — bone cancer that develops in cartilage cells. A tumor the size of an egg had formed under her right kneecap. The doctor told her that in order to save her life, amputation was unavoidable. It was done at the beginning of July.

Following this experience, she states that what she values the most is good relations with others and spending time with family.

“My goal is to continue playing golf,” Guðrún states. “I want to be able to wear heels again without the use of a cane. [The prosthetics developer] Össur is there to help me. I think our dreams come true when we allow ourselves to dream big,” she concludes.