MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – When stopping for gas or a snack, patrons of Weiler’s Convenience Stores can also help a local teen battling cancer.
Ella James, 15, of Marshfield was living life through the pandemic just like the rest of the world when she started feeling not like herself. Numerous trips to the doctor’s office yielded no result so she trudged on.
Over the holiday season at the end of 2020, Ella began experiencing concussion-like symptoms with balance problems, headaches, nausea and blurry vision.
After a CT scan located a mass on her brain, a tumor was removed and the James’ lives changed forever. Ella was diagnosed in early January with an aggressive form of childhood brain cancer called Medulloblastoma.
Ella is currently on cycle four of her six cycle treatment, each lasting 28 days. She is expected to ring the end of treatment bell sometime in September and step into remission, healing, and recovery.
Ella’s mom, Kim said through it all, Ella has been extremely positive despite the circumstances.
“She’s always been upbeat,” Kim said. “She really doesn’t have anything negative to say very often. It’s all been pretty positive and she just rolls with it. In Milwaukee, she had to do radiation and chemo every day for six weeks. I said if it was me, I’d be crying every day but she just went with it.”
A statement by the family promoting a Marshfield Clinic Golf Outing supporting cancer research said fighting cancer isn’t a battle that is won on your own.
“As strong as Ella is, we can’t do this alone,” the post said. “We are blessed that so many care and donate to pediatric cancer research. Without it, Ella and so many other children would not be here today fighting and surviving this disease.”
Ella’s sister Ayva, began a fundraising campaign of her own to help with the cost of Ella’s treatments.
Ayva along with her friends, created bracelets that read “Fighting to Make Grey Go Away #EllaRose” and are sold at these area businesses:
-Weiler’s Convenience Stores
Bracelets can be purchased for a donation of $3 for each bracelet or 2/$5.
Ayva said her friends were the driving force behind getting the fundraiser started which meant a lot.
“I didn’t even start it, my friends made a group chat without me knowing,” Ayva said. “It was really all them and when I finally had time, I took the opportunity to take it over but it wouldn’t have been possible without their help.”
If you are looking to help offset the costs of medical expenses for the family, you can purchase bracelets at any of the above locations. The family also has an Amazon list of items that are both helpful and enlightening for Ella as she goes through this tough time. That list and her story can be found here.
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