Even though tragedies happen all the time, it’s hard not to take notice of at least some of them. Even you couldn’t realistically care about every single tragedy you hear about (it would be emotionally and mentally exhausting, so our minds don’t allow that), some are just so touching that you can’t help but let them stick with you for a while.
In a sad story about family, tragedy, and support, a three year old cancer patient travels the world through postcards. People from all over the globe have been sending the young girl postcards, helping her and her sister put the reality of the disease aside for a while.
Fighting one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer, Stage IV glioblastoma multiform, three year old Ellie Walton has just found a new passion along with her older sister. Very dangerous, there are almost no chances that the little girl will make it, as the cancer reproduces at alarming rates because it is supported by a large network of blood vessels in the brain.
Diagnosed with cancer when she was but four months old thanks to her mother noticing a lump on her head, Ellie led a relatively normal life until a few months ago, when her tumor mutated. That triggered a whole series of surgeries, numbering at seventeen so far, five of which were to remove tumors and fourteen were brain surgeries.
According to Sarah Walton, the girls’ mother, however,
The state calls it terminal cancer. It’s not terminal for her, though. She’s a fighter for sure.
The postcard tradition and the two girls’ passion started when their grandparents sent the two a postcard from Arizona. There was a donkey depicted on the postcard, and the girls immediately fell in love with the idea. They started asking for photos from other places all over the country.
As the girls’ parents started a website to document Ellie’s journey, more and more people started sending her and her sister Ava postcards from all over the world. Currently, the girls have over 47 United States postcards and plenty from other countries.
There are so many postcards, in fact, that Ellie’s sister Ava is planning on her plastering her little sister’s walls with them. They look at them every night, dreaming of visiting those far-away places. Of course, the girls’ mother is grateful for all the joy and good wishes that are being sent to her daughters.
Blessed, honored, moved. You all stun me. Postcards from all over! They are so happy!
Image source: Wikimedia