Local teen with cancer gets devastating news after her foot was amputated. How she is staying positive

IDAHO FALLS — Kindi Barrie has faced challenge after challenge in her 16 years. Recently, her right foot was amputated in hopes of stopping the spread of cancer. But the cancer is now in her lungs, and she is doing what she can to remain positive.

2023: Cancer diagnosis

Kindi is a Thunder Ridge High School student in Idaho Falls. In July 2023, when she was 14 years old, she noticed a bump on her right foot. It began growing quickly and made it hard for her to walk or run.

“It hurt pretty bad. If I barely even touched the bump or anything, it would just throb for five minutes straight, just severe pain,” Kindi said. “I couldn’t even wear shoes normally.”

Her mother, Maria, said that after an MRI, they were sent to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. That August, Kindi was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer.

“You don’t really know what to think. Your world just falls down around you, so you’re just completely shocked and scared,” Maria said of the cancer diagnosis.

It was surprising too. There is no family history of childhood cancer. Kindi had to start chemotherapy immediately, along with radiation.

“Her chemo regimen was intense, involving five different chemotherapy drugs. Every two weeks, she spent a full week in the hospital receiving treatment. Her total treatment lasted 10 months,” according to a GoFundMe campaign. Due to this, Kindi had to leave school during her freshman year and switch to online learning, which was difficult for her.

“I felt alone a lot, so going to the hospital was actually a highlight for me because I wasn’t just stuck at home doing nothing and seeing nobody,” Kindi recalled.

2024: Remission

She reached remission in May 2024. It was a happy time. She and her mom, along with her dad, Todd, and her younger brother, Kyler, all tried to find a new normal and enjoy life.

“We did camping, dirt biking, rzring, all the things we normally do, trying to make Kindi feel better,” Maria said. “She got to go on her Make-A-Wish trip to Hawaii that September. That was really fun for her because she loved the beach, and that was the first time our family had been to the beach at all, and it was the first time the kids had been on an airplane.”

2025: Another bump on the foot

But then, in April 2025, there was another bump found on the same foot, exactly where Kindi’s original tumor had been.

“It got to the point where it was really bugging her foot, like just to walk. It would still cause pain and having her shoes rub on it would hurt. So she decided to have it removed at the end of April 2025,” Maria said.

Unfortunately, they got a call that was shattering. Biopsy results showed that the bump was another cancerous tumor.

“Like the first time, you hear the words, your world explodes. And then you hear it’s back for the second time,” Maria said, crying. “Each time you hear it, you don’t think your world can get shattered anymore. It sucks, it really, really sucks. But you just have to keep going. You don’t have a choice.”

Since radiation was already done on Kindi’s foot, she couldn’t have it anymore, Maria said. The next option was to amputate her foot to get rid of the source of cancer and begin a new round of chemotherapy.

“It was the only way to save her life,” according to the GoFundMe.

“The first time (I was diagnosed with cancer), I guess it didn’t hit me that bad because I just went with the flow, but the second time, it really hit me because I knew I would have to lose my foot and I would possibly have to lose my hair … again,” Kindi said.

Foot amputated and more news

With great strength, Kindi had a below-the-knee amputation in June this year. She is waiting for a prosthetic to use because her body has struggled to heal.

“I just kind of try to focus on the best and on the positive instead of just stewing on the negative,” Kindi told EastIdahoNews.com. “I guess it’s not that bad without a foot? You get princess treatment, so …”

After nearly four months, Kindi got scans done. But devastating news came back that the cancer metastasized to her lungs. There are seven nodules.

In addition to doing chemo again, which started in October and will be about nine months long, she will need radiation to her lungs once the nodules have shrunk.

“We are hoping for remission and to keep her in remission and hope that she lives a long life,” Maria said.

Kindi will also have to learn the daily challenges of using a prosthetic, such as relearning to walk and dealing with pain. She’s had uplifting support around her, like her family, boyfriend, friends, and her school.

Hopes and dreams

Despite everything she is going through, Kindi is focused on big hopes and dreams for the future. She’d like to become a nurse and help cancer patients.

“From what I saw, most of the cancer patients in the hospital with me didn’t have as good an attitude as me. I want to help them and give them a better experience,” she said.

Once she gets her prosthetic, her main goal is to finally get her driver’s license.

“Both times I got diagnosed with cancer, it has pushed back getting my license,” she said.

Maria and Todd have been amazed by how their daughter has handled everything.

“No matter what has come her way, she has faced it like the warrior she is,” said Maria on GoFundMe.

The GoFundMe

The GoFundMe has been set up by a close friend to help Kindi and her family. As of Thursday morning, over $5,000 has been raised out of a $7,500 goal. Maria said she is thankful to those who have donated.

“You feel really, really blessed and grateful that people want to love and support you,” she said. “It makes you feel like you’re definitely surrounded by a community that cares and so it does help and it helps take some of the burden off.”

She said you can’t take for granted the little moments where everyone as a family is happy together. Todd agreed.

“It brings everybody closer together. It makes you realize what’s important to you,” he said.

Through the trials, Kindi said she has learned how strong she is and who her real friends are. She offered a piece of advice to anyone going through hardships like cancer.

“Just try to keep a good attitude, keep your head up. Just know that you will always have support, even if you don’t feel like it. Just keep going. And don’t be afraid to be bald,” Kindi said.