Hundreds if not thousands of people mailed in postcards and gifts to Jorge Ibanez Ruiz for his birthday. He just underwent a lifesaving surgery but his family says he's not out of the woods yet. Two weeks ago Jorge got a tumor removed from his leg that was caused by Osteosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. His parents say the surgery was a success.
"It took shorter then we thought," said Jorge stepdad Sidney Donaldson. "We thought it would be six, seven hours but it only took four or five so it went pretty good, right now he is resting."
At Jorge's house, postcards, birthday cards, and get well soon cards are still coming in. So many they haven't even counted them all. Before his surgery, his family asked anyone to send in cards to show their support on his birthday. Cards from all over all world have arrived including one from actress Tina Fey and gifts form the L.A. Dodgers. The support means the world to Jorge and his family, while doctors have removed the tumor they won't know until next week if he is cancer free.
"It's kind of nervous but we have faith that's it gone with the tumor. We believe and it came through," said Donaldson.
The experience has left Jorge and his family with a new mission. They've printed shirts that read #TeamJorge and are raising awareness for Osteosarcoma. For parents seeing their loved ones fighting this disease, they have this to say:
"If you're not strong then they are not strong. Just stay strong with them, have faith and everything will turn out good," said Donaldson.
