Meet St. Jude Patient Ella

During our 3rd annual radiothon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, we'll share stories from patients and their families about how the staff at St. Jude changed their lives and gave them hope when no one else would. As touching as those stories are to hear, I think sometimes it helps to associate a face with the cause. This is the story of Ella and her mom Jeanna.

During my first trip to Memphis for the St. Jude Radio Convention in 2011, Ella and Jeanna were part of the "patient panel". This is where a few of the families being treated by St. Jude sit on a stage and share their story to a room full of radio people like me who use that info as inspiration to raise as much money as possible for the hospital.

Ella was diagnosed with Adrenocortical Carcinoma, a cancer of the adrenal glands which can produce the hormones cortisol, aldosterone, estrogen, or testosterone, as well as other hormones. In women the tumor often releases these hormones, which can lead to male characteristics, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

The song used in the video was written and performed by my co-workers, Chad Benefield and Jaclyn Graves of our sister-station, 92.5 WBKR in Owensboro and includes clips from a phone interview they conducted with Jeanna.

To help kids like Ella in their fight against cancer, become a Partner in Hope by calling 1-800-942-8731 anytime between 6am - 7pm today or tomorrow during the radiothon, or make your commitment online.