Ride for a Child Kids & Teams

Chloe loves painting, arts & crafts, and playing outside or with her baby dolls. She especially loves Disney princesses. In 2017, when Chloe was 4 years old, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma and underwent 18 months of treatment. She relapsed in June 2020 with Relapse Metastatic Neuroblastoma, and is receiving care at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Mia has her two older brothers, Maurice and Cory, who are very important to her. Due to Chloe’s medical needs, their family has to spend a lot of time apart, so when they are home, they cherish every moment they get to spend together.

Chloe’s family wants to give back to all of the people at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital who have helped Chloe through her journey – the doctors, nurses, techs, and everyone else. Being a part of the Pedal the Cause Ride for a Child Program is one way they can support their work.

Clayco is riding in honor of Chloe!

This year, St. Louis Children’s Hospital rides in honor of 2-year-old Eleanor, who recently completed treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Born with Down syndrome and a blood disorder known as transient myleoproliferative disorder (TMD), doctors have monitored her closely since birth because kids with TMD have a 10-20% chance of developing leukemia. After a series of routine tests came back abnormal, Eleanor was diagnosed with leukemia at 15 months old.

Eleanor rang the bell in June 2021, signifying the end of her cancer treatment and is enjoying every minute being home. She loves playing with her siblings and spending time outside and was able to get her central line removed, which her mom says is a huge deal. Eleanor also is taking about 10 steps unassisted and should be walking by herself in no time.

Eleanor and her parents are excited to be representing St. Louis Children’s at Pedal the Cause this year and hope that you will join our team in the fight against cancer!

Elsa loves swimming, volleyball, basketball, art, and reading. She is a big fan of Disney’s Stitch, Taylor Swift and the St. Louis Blues. Elsa was diagnosed at 5 years old with AML on October 29, 2015. She had a stem cell transplant from her newborn brother. She relapsed after 1 year; and she was able to get back into remission with a DLI and Revlimid. Elsa relapsed again in 2019 and was a candidate for the NK trial at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The NK trial gave her family an option of treating Elsa’s cancer without the toxicity of the standard protocol of treatment, a second transplant. She is currently recovering at home, and most importantly in remission.

A cancer diagnosis changes lives in the blink of an eye, but when the cancer diagnosis is your child, it changes your entire family’s lives. When Elsa was first diagnosed, she was the oldest child at 5 and her two siblings were 2.5 years old and a newborn. Life was hard balancing the hospital and home, but Elsa’s family made it work. Now the children are older, and they know why Elsa has to see her doctors or have procedures done. They know that she is sick and fighting cancer. They ask many questions about their sister and feel many of the emotions people experience with a cancer diagnosis. Elsa’s little brother Eli has even been called to action to help Elsa, not one time, not two times, but three times. He has given her his blood, his cells, and his immune system & blood type. Eli has sheds tears of sadness and fear; he has earned his name of Superman Eli! Elsa’s parents hope Elsa has a future filled with happiness and fun! They don’t know what her future truly holds, but they do know she is an incredible girl that has beat high risk AML three times with the help of her sidekick, Eli!

The last 12 months have been a roller coaster to say the least for Gabriella and her family. On May 15, 2020, Gabriella had some routine blood work done by her pediatrician. On Saturday morning May 16, Gabriella’s family received a call from her doctor saying that her bloodwork indicated Leukemia and that they should pack a bag and head straight to the Emergency Room at Children’s Hospital.

Their lives turned upside down with that unexpected phone call. Gabriella had not displayed symptoms – so this had them all in shock. There was so much they didn’t know about Leukemia and had to quickly learn. Over the course of the next six months, she spent almost half of that time in Children’s Hospital either for treatments or for severe reactions to the treatments (which included 2 stints in the PICU).

There were some very difficult times but for the most part, her family tried to stay focused on the good things and bring fun and laughter to each day. They worked at looking for the positive side and being grateful. Family, friends and even acquaintances stepped up to help Gabriella’s family with big and little things. Gabriella’s family decorated her room for Halloween, brought costumes to the hospital, and watched the full set of Star Wars movies (a few times).

Even though the chemo didn’t fully work and they could not find a bone marrow match, there was another treatment option which did work (CAR T Cell Therapy). And as a result, she does not require the additional year of maintenance chemo.

Gabriella’s family says the doctors, nurses, therapists and everyone at Children’s were wonderful to them and took great care of Gabriella – she refers to them as her friends.

Gabriella’s family feels extremely blessed to be able to say that Gabriella has been in remission for 5 months now. She recently returned to school and is learning to ice skate. She has a goal of joining the Blues Special Kids hockey team in the Fall. While her family knows there are risks, they believe Gabriella has a bright future ahead of her thanks to the fabulous team at Children’s.

Gabriella’s family says the experience has taught them to savor the small moments and celebrate them and to not take spending time together for granted, for we never know what life may throw at us. It has also taught them that they are stronger than they ever imagined and that there are lots of really good, caring people in the world that go out of their way to help others.

Harper loves dancing, singing, and music, as well as playing on her ipad. She loves Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Elsa, Baby Shark and the Mizzou Tigers! “rrrrahhhhrr!”

In August 2018, Harper’s pediatrician referred her to the Washington University Neurofibromatosis Clinic at St. Louis Children’s Hospital because Harper had physical symptoms (cafe au lait spots and neurofibromas) that mimicked neurofibromatosis (NF1). Harper did not have enough indicators at that time to receive a NF1 diagnosis without a genetic test. Because the test is very expensive and was not covered through insurance, the team advised not doing the genetic testing at that time. Shortly after her first birthday, Harper began to regress in speech and was delayed in many motor skills. She was not gaining weight and was overly tired, sleeping 14-16 hours a day. This was an area of concern so in February of 2019, the doctors did an MRI of the brain and found four tumors: one on each optic pathway nerve, one on her brain stem, and one deep in the center. This confirmed her NF1 diagnosis. Doctors conducted a brain biopsy on Harper the beginning of April 2019. Results showed the tumor was active and growing- not a normal finding for an NF tumor. The active tumor has been treated with weekly chemo to try and shrink it and stop it from growing. Radiation causes NF tumors to grow and removing it is not an option because of the size and location. Unfortunately, all NF cases are different and affect people in different ways. This makes her journey one that is unclear. Harper wears glasses to help with her vision loss, receives speech and physical therapy services, and visits her heart specialist to monitor her mild heart defect. Harper had a port put in her chest and has been completing weekly chemotherapy since April 2019. She has a MRI to monitor the tumors every 3 months and the treatment type and duration is dependent on results. The goal is to get the tumors stable, and to see stable or improved vision. Harper has dealt with a lot this past year but she is one tough little girl! Harper has had many ups and downs and unexpected side effects, but she does it all with a smile on her face. She reminds us all of how strong we can be! #HealingHarper #HarperStrong #IKnowAFighter

Harper loves to go to the doctor! She gets excited to go to the ‘doc doc’ and screams with joy when they pass the hospital. 🙂 That is a true testament to the treatment she receives. The doctors, nurses, and staff are all very welcoming and caring. They show true compassion for Harper and her family. They are helpful and kind and go out of their way to make sure Harper’s parents understand everything.  Harper and her family are excited to participate in Pedal the Cause to show their thanks and to raise awareness for all of the special children and families they have met over the last year. They are blessed that people are raising money for research and to help all of these children!

In 2020, John started getting severe headaches that got progressively worse and eventually effected his vision. He got his first MRI in September 2020 when he was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma. Since then, he has completed proton therapy at the Proton Therapy Center at Siteman Cancer Center and is currently receiving chemotherapy treatment.

John’s family says he has received the most amazing care at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, including the Proton Therapy Center. The staff has taken the time to get to know him, which has helped him not become overwhelmed through his treatments.

Natalee loves swimming, fishing, and spending time with family and friends. She is a big fan of the Cardinals, Blues, and Fox Theater.

Natalee was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis and a polycyctic brain tumor in November 2015. She has had an MRI guided laser ablation, 8 months of IV chemo, and is currently on a 24 month regimen of oral chemo. Natalee experienced decreased movement of her right hand and leg due to the location of the tumor. She does PT/OT 5 days a week and is currently still going to school full time. She is not able to do sports and other activities her classmates are able to do which is hard for her at times. Natalee is a very compassionate and empathetic of others because of all she has gone through. Her older sisters are very supportive and encourage her to keep working hard.

Natalee was also on treatment last year and participated with PTC. She fundraised and it was a great way for her to be able to give back! It was really a good experience for her entire family and helped Natalee feel purpose in her journey. Natalee’s MRI guided laser ablation received funding from PTC (according to the research page!) so this organization is really important to Natalee and her family. Natalee was in a wheelchair when she had the surgery and without it she would not be the independent girl she is today! Natalee and her family are so thankful for SLCH, Siteman Kids and PTC for all the care she has received during the last 4 1/2 years. They live over 2 hours away which seems like a long drive but they know it is nothing compared to what some families travel to get treatment! Natalee has the best Neurosurgeon Dr. Limbrick and best oncologist Dr. Gauvain!

Paige loves riding her bike, dancing, and sports! She is a huge fan of Paw Patrol, Dora the Explorer, Cinderella, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies, Team Umizoomi and Peppa Pig.

Paige was diagnosed in December and it has been a whirlwind ever since.  She finished treatment in late February and is currently in remission.  The future looks bright for Paige!

The nurses and doctors at the clinic were amazing. Paige and her family owe everything to them.  They would like to participate in Pedal the Cause to have something positive to involve Paige in; she loves to be outside and active!

Ryan loves playing and watching baseball, as well as going to the lake. He is a big fan of  the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, and Green Bay Packers.

Ryan was diagnosed with ALL on June 1, 2019. It turned his life upside down, but with the support of his family, friends, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Oncology Team and his Pedal the Cause Team: Beer and Salsa, he is battling back. Ryan is in the maintenance phase of his treatment and now has many more good days than bad. He is positive about his future and plans to beat this and return to playing sports. Ryan enjoys playing baseball and has been working hard to get back on the field this summer! The team at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital has been amazing. If any child has to go through this, this is the team you want fighting alongside you. Ryan’s team is knowledgeable, patient, kind and understanding.

Savanna loves singing, reading, playing with her dog, painting, drawing, baking and cooking. She is a fan of the Backstreet Boys, Evanna Lynch, and the Cardinals. Savanna and her family’s lives changed the moment they stepped into the ER at Children’s Hospital shortly before midnight on 1/26/2019. When asked where they wanted Savanna to receive treatment, without hesitation, they chose St. Louis Children’s Hospital. From that very moment, they have felt the love, care, and fight for Savanna and her battle with cancer. Savanna and her family have no regrets; they are forever grateful for the complete comfort and healing SLCH provides.

On 7/31/19,  Savanna received a bone marrow transplant. Today, she remains cancer free. Her donor has since been introduced to their family, and they are so ecstatic for this new addition. Savanna and her family became closer because of this disease, and they continue to grow together, but with a much different outlook on the appreciation of life. Savanna wants to be an advocate for children who experience hurts, illnesses, and diseases by becoming a nurse one day.

The entire staff at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, from the cafeteria workers to Savanna’s transplant doctor, has been nothing short of angels and blessings. Savanna and her family had all of their needs met; nothing left to want or ask for. St. Louis Children’s Hospital consistently and constantly provide the absolute highest level of care, compassion and concern for Savanna.

Tyrayah loves painting, art, listening to music and watching movies. She is a fan of Lilo & Stitch – Stitch is her favorite! July 27, 2019 is a day Tyrayah and her family will never forget. Tyrayah started complaining of chest pains and was referred to St. Louis Children’s Hospital by their local ER to run tests. On August 1, 2019, at 10:26am, they received the news that there was a softball size mass in Tyrayah’s chest, along with a blood clot in her neck. Chemo was started right away. That was the first time Tyrayah’s parents felt so helpless.

Tyrayah is so loved by many; they have prayer chains everywhere. She is a fighter. Chemo is so rough on her; she has spent almost an entire year in the hospital. A rare side effect of the chemo is nerve damage, and on May 4, Tyrayah lost all mobility from the neck down.  Now Tyrayah is starting neurotherapy, so she will be able to walk again hopefully. Tyrayah and her family take it one day at a time. She’s going to do big things. This is making her stronger.

Siteman Kids has been awesome – such friendly people and staff.  Tyrayah and her family believe there will be a cure someday if we keep working to find it.