Dear friends,

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My name is Ellie. I am 17 years old, and I am an osteosarcoma warrior!
My journey has been filled with many twists, turns, ups, and downs. I was diagnosed when I was 15 after experiencing pain in my knee, hip, and back. One night, the pain became so unbearable that my mom had to rush me to the ER. That was the day my life changed forever. 

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Since then, I’ve faced months of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, hair loss, and so much more. After several consultations with surgeons, I was told that the only way to save my life would be to have a hemipelvectomy—a procedure that involved amputating my left leg, pelvis, and hip. I spent most of the last two years in hospitals, mainly at CHOP, but because my amputation was so rare, I was referred to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Since my amputation, I’ve had to learn to adapt to a new normal: using a wheelchair, attending physical therapy, undergoing aftercare visits and scans, and learning to use a prosthetic. Although this experience has been the most physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging thing I’ve ever faced, I am so grateful to be here, alive, breathing, and able to tell my story! 

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Now, I am a senior in high school. I am a visual artist, and creating art has helped me through some of my hardest days. Currently, I am touring colleges and hopeful for a bright future as an Art and Nursing major so that I can help other kids going through similar journeys. 

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PCFLV has been a major support system not only for me, but for my whole family. They have helped in so many ways! I remember there were times they sent my mother meal vouchers for the hospital cafeteria and gas cards to help with our frequent travel to and from the hospital. They host fun events not only for those of us going through the cancer journey, but also for our siblings and family! We’ve gone to back-to-school events, received meals from fun restaurants, attended baseball games and much more! What I love the most is that everyone is so genuine and caring, and you can feel their passion when you are around them. They offer support in ways that help not only physically, but mentally and emotionally, too, like support groups, moms’ and dads’ events, and kids-only events. This doesn’t even begin to touch on how much they are willing to help people like me during the hardest time of our lives! 

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This is why I am asking you to please donate to PCFLV, so that they can continue to support other kids in the Lehigh Valley who have been affected by pediatric cancer, too! PCFLV will forever be a part of my life, and I plan to give back in any way that I can! 

Warm regards, 

Ellie