Ellie's Battle with Cancer: A True Story

Ellie Shoal Potvin and Grace McGee Potvin were born October 31, 2001. They were healthy, beautiful little girls. They both had amazing blue eyes and beautiful blond hair. Ellie and Grace were best friends from the day they were born. They did everything together. They loved being around each other and doing their favorite things. They both were smart, funny, and loved life. For their sixth birthday, Ellie and Grace's parents took them to Disneyworld, They had so much fun there. They went to parades, watched shows, met Disney characters, and did so much more. They had the time of their lives.

On July 2, 2008, Ellie and Grace's world changed forever. That night as their mom was powdering Ellie after giving her a bath, she found a lump in Ellie's hip area. They rushed Ellie to the emergency room around ten o'clock at night. Tests were run and by two in the morning they received the worst news possible.

Ellie had stage 4, group 4, high alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare childhood cancer affecting only a couple hundred kids a year. Ellie had a massive tumor in her left hip and trunk, and more tumors in her lungs. Since her cancer had already spread when she was diagnosed, Ellie was given a thirty percent chance of surviving five years. Ellie and her family's hearts were shattered. Being high risk meant if Ellie went into remission, she had a high risk of relapsing. Ellie began the fight of her life.

Ellie's first chemotherapy treatment was July 4, 2008. Thankfully, she came out of the first round with no side effects. Chemotherapy continued and Ellie was in and out of the hospital every week. Each round of chemotherapy made her more sick. She lost all her beautiful blond hair. She got sick several times a day. Her immune system became compressed making her very likely to get an infection. Ellie began radiation just before her seventh birthday. She continued with chemotherapy at this time, also. Radiation and chemotherapy combined were hard on Ellie's body. She became very sick. She slept most of the time and she didn't want to eat. When she did have bursts of energy, she played with her sister or her dog. These activities never lasted long and Ellie would become exhausted fast. Grace supported her sister. When Ellie wasn't feeling good and she was down, Grace lifted her up.

A website was made for Ellie called "Lift Up Ellie!" People from around the world visited the site daily. Ellie touched everyone she came in contact with. The website helped her family write updates on her instead of calling everyone about something new.

Ellie completed 31 treatments of radiation to abdomen and lungs in six weeks. She continued with chemotherapy. She was in and out of the hospital for fevers and chemotherapy. Ellie lost a lot of weight but she always had a smile. She fought like a true champion.

On May 25, 2009, Ellie was declared in remission. This meant there were no detectable cancer cells in her body and she would no longer need treatment. Ellie spent her summer having fun. She went on her Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World. She went to a cancer survivors only camp called Camp Libby Lou. She hung out with her friends and her family. She had a very fun summer. Her hair began to grow back, too! She grew back her eye lashes and eyebrows which she loved.

On October 1, 2009, Ellie had her three month scans off treatment.That night the doctor called and said there was a new spot where her original tumor was. Ellie had relapsed after only 3 months of remission. This meant Ellie's cancer was very aggressive. Every time a cancer cell survives a chemotherapy treatment, it becomes stronger. Ellie started chemotherapy again. A month later, they found out the chemotherapy was not helping and the cancer had spread to her lungs again. Ellie was started on a new trial but only one month later, they found out it had failed, too.

On December 28, 2009, Ellie was given four weeks to live if the chemotherapy treatments they were about to give her failed. Miraculously, the chemotherapy started to work, but it made Ellie very sick. She constantly had fevers. She was in so much pain and she was suffering.

In April, Ellie and her family went to the beach. Ellie loved the beach so much. She was so happy to be away from the hospital and chemotherapy before five days of chemotherapy and scans.

When they got home, Ellie had scans to monitor how the treatment was helping. It showed the treatment had failed and she was developing new tumors in her lungs and her other tumors were growing. Ellie was taken off chemotherapy and sent home so she could live out her last days. Her family didn't give up. Her parents decided to start alternative treatments. She began chiropratic treatment, hyperbolic chamber treatments, and protein supplements from Venezuela.

At the end of May, Ellie had scans again to see if the alternative treatments were helping. The scans showed more than 40 tumors in her lungs and her hip tumor was spreading down her leg. Her family wasn't giving up though and she continued alternative treatment until she couldn't anymore.

On June 21, 2010, Ellie's family decided to make a last minute appointment to a surgeon. They were afraid her hip tumor would bust through her skin at home. They hoped there would be a way to debulk the tumor before is broke through. Ellie would need a chest x-ray to see if surgery was possible. The chest x-ray showed her right lung was almost completely filled with tumors. Her left lung was filling up, too. A growing tumor was starting to block the valve to her lungs that let air in. The doctors were surprised she could even breathe. Her hip tumor burst while they were waiting for the surgeon. Ellie was sent home with only a couple days to live.

Ellie kept fighting, though. She would struggle to breathe because of the growing tumors. She still told her mom, "Don't worry, Mommy. I'm not going to die." She believed she would be healed on Earth. Ellie kissed her biceps and told her mom, "I am strong. A fighter." Ellie continued in and out of her morphine sleep.

On June 23, 2010, at 11:35 in the morning, Ellie took her last breath. She reached to the sky like a baby bird. At last, she was at peace. In her mother's arms and her dad's side, Ellie Shoal Potvin grew her angel wings at the tender age of eight.