Eleanor is a jovial soul.
Even during cancer treatment, she was something of a goodwill ambassador in the halls of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
She’ll walk up to anybody and give them a hug on the leg and wave hi to them. I hope when people see her in the hallways, they get happier too.
Families, like Eleanor's, will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
But Eleanor isn’t just sweet; she’s also, in her mom’s words, ‘spicy.’
“The moment you tell her she can’t do something, she’s like, ‘I’m going to do it.’”
This determination has served her well, since she has been overcoming medical problems since the day she was born.
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Eleanor posing for a photo after her baptism
One of these challenges began when, on her first birthday, Eleanor arrived at St. Jude for treatment of a type of acute myeloid leukemia associated with Down Syndrome.
Eleanor in an avocado costume during Halloween
I can't imagine what life after treatment would be like if we were worrying about bills. I'm sure it would be significant to the point where second jobs would come into play, and then that's more time away from her.
Some of Eleanor’s favorite things include running, splashing in water, getting people’s attention and food (even raw broccoli!).
Eleanor successfully underwent chemotherapy, completing treatment in November 2019.
She is now back at home.
Meet more patients
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Meet Abraham
After a CT scan revealed Abraham had a mass on his brain, identified as a cancerous brain tumor called a medulloblastoma, his family turned to St. Jude for help.
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Meet Ashtyn
When Ashtyn’s family learned she had a type of cancerous brain tumor called a medulloblastoma, they turned to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Meet Mia
Mia is a friendly, caring child who was referred to St. Jude from her home country of Nicaragua when she was 5 years old. She was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a malignant tumor in her brain.