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Ella Edwards, an eighth grade at the School of the Incarnation in Gambrills and a pediatric cancer survivor, has organized a Christmas toy drive the past five years for children who are hospitalized over the holiday season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff))

EllaStrong: Young cancer survivor gives back to pediatric oncology patients


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Schools

It was Ella Edwards’ ninth birthday when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer April 18, 2017.

Her family was devastated, but ready to do whatever was necessary to get the girl healthy. Ella’s parents, Jennifer and Brian Edwards, along with her aunt and uncle, Allison and Paul LaRochelle, started a “Team Ella” Facebook page to raise money for Ella’s cancer treatment. After nine months of treatments, she was finally ­cancer-free in January 2018.

“Team Ella” evolved into the “EllaStrong Foundation” to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer research and to support the wellness of pediatric cancer patients. Under the supervision of her parents and with help from her four siblings, Ella has been an active leader at the foundation, raising funds for pediatric research with lemonade stands, photos and hot chocolate with Santa, and a virtual run 5k/10k.

As of Dec. 11, 2021, EllaStrong Foundation had raised $47,000. The funds have gone to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Forever Fierce Foundation, Children’s Hospital Foundation and Ari’s Bears. Ella has also contributed with a bandage drive for Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, for which 20,000 bandages were collected.

Ella Edwards, an eighth grade at the School of the Incarnation in Gambrills and a pediatric cancer survivor, organized a Christmas toy drive the past five years for children who are hospitalized over the holiday season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff))

In addition to raising money for pediatric research, the eighth-grade student at School of the Incarnation in Gambrills organized a toy drive at her school. Ella achieved her goal of collecting 500 toys for Christmas 2021.

Cameron Stehle, assistant principal at the school, said Ella approached him with the toy drive idea and the school supported her.

“She came into the community with the type of leadership we don’t always see in students of her age,” Stehle said. “She spoke in front of the school to students younger and older than her, and the toy drive sort of took off.”

She displayed a big, wrapped box at the school for students to drop unwrapped toys, made a QR code for an Amazon registry she created and partnered with Franklin’s Toys at Severna Park. She received toy lists from some hospitals. Because of COVID-19, Ella Edwards and volunteers were not able to interact with the children from the hospitals in person, but dropped off the toys at hospitals. Then, staff from the hospitals sanitized the gifts and gave them to the patients.

“I received a big Lego set for my birthday when I was diagnosed,” Ella said. “It really brought me joy when I wasn’t feeling great.”

Receiving a gift while sick motivated Ella to do the same for other pediatric cancer patients. She has organized a toy drive for pediatric cancer patients for four consecutive years.

Children from the Anne Arundel Medical Center, Believe in Tomorrow Children’s House at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Ronald McDonald House Charities in Baltimore, University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore and the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., received gifts at Christmas.

“It’s really important to me to raise money for cancer research so kids can be put on trials,” said Ella, noting that 12 percent of children diagnosed with cancer do not survive. “I know a lot of kids who have cancer and are on these trials, as well as their doctors.”

Jennifer Edwards said seeing children with cancer is sad.

“Sadly, we’ve lost many friends,” she said. “We really want a cure, and we are doing everything we can to help.”

The Edwards family, parishioners of St. Mary in Annapolis, found comfort in a passage from Philippians 4:6-7: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Ella remembers Father James E. Boric, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, visiting her at the hospital, praying the rosary with her and her family and playing cards with her.  

“One of the main things that kept me going when I was really sick was knowing Jesus was with me and God had a plan, even if I didn’t know what it looked like,” Ella said.  

To find out more about EllaStrong Foundation visit https://www.ellastrong.org/

Email Priscila González de Doran at pdoran@CatholicReview.org

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