RAF veteran lives retirement dream thanks to innovative surgery

An RAF veteran from Frome is living the retirement he dreamed of, thanks to an innovative surgical technique that used a muscle from his back to replace the bicep he lost to a rare cancer.

Jon Morgan first noticed a lump in his arm in December 2021. His GP was concerned and sent him to Bath Royal United Hospital, where he underwent various tests and scans.

He was then referred to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where he was diagnosed with a rare type of soft tissue cancer called a high-grade sarcoma.

High-grade sarcomas are a rare form of soft tissue cancer that typically affects the upper limbs, including the biceps.

The sarcoma grows deep within the body and often involves muscle, bone and cartilage, requiring aggressive removal of the affected tissue, leaving patients without a functional bicep. Often, treatments focus solely on survival.

“When I found out I had cancer, it was a shock,” says Jon, whose wife has also overcome cancer and whose father, a war veteran, has terminal cancer. “The team explained they’d need to replace the muscle in my arm with muscle from my back to restore movement. I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to do afterwards, but my focus was on removing the tumour – it had grown so large so quickly that I had to take high doses of strong painkillers.”   

Jon’s sarcoma was growing rapidly and he was told it needed removing urgently. Jon’s surgeon, consultant plastic surgeon Rachel Clancy, who is a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, explained to Jon the procedure she would be doing, called a latissimus dorsi bicep reconstruction, a technique she had recently showcased at the BAPRAS Scientific meeting in December.

The seven-hour operation successfully removed the tumour and a skin graft from Jon’s thigh was used to cover the wound. By the day after surgery, Jon had regained finger movement, and through intensive physiotherapy, he was able to return to the activities he and his wife had planned for retirement,

“The operation has been a game-changer,” says Jon. “We’ve always loved travelling in our motorhome, and thanks to the surgery, I’m able to keep doing that. Without this operation, life could have been very different. I would have lost use of my arm and would have had to either give up our dreams of travelling through our retirement, or have had extensive – and expensive – alterations done to our motorhome. It also allows me to spend more time with my father, and help to support him and my mum.”   

Jon, who has to attend hospital every four months to check the cancer hasn’t returned, had planned to work as a full-time reservist until the age of 65 but chose to retire early following his diagnosis to make the most of life.

“Being diagnosed with such a fast-growing and frightening cancer really puts things in perspective,” said Jon. “Initially, I was focused on survival and removal of the tumour, but now I realise how fortunate I am to have had such an incredible surgeon who focuses on function as well as survival. If I hadn’t had this particular type of surgery, I wouldn’t be able to drive or travel. Thanks to the care I received, my wife and I are able to live the life we’d always hoped for. The team at Southmead didn’t just treat the cancer, they gave me back my life. I’m incredibly grateful for the care I received and the opportunities this surgery has given me.”   

Rachel said, “This procedure is about more than removing the cancer, it’s about helping patients regain their independence and continue living the life they planned. For Jon, it meant ensuring he could enjoy his retirement to the fullest. We always consider the unique goals of each patient when planning surgery and rehabilitation.”   

Pictured: Jon and his wife