Elijah played soccer and football in school, and his favorite football team is the Dallas Cowboys. He’s also talented musically and can play any instrument you put in his hands in just as few minutes. He has enjoyed being a part of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps as a sophomore, and likes working with his dad.

Before Elijah turned 16 in August 2023, he’d grown six inches within the year. At first, his parents thought the pain he was suddenly feeling in his leg was from the growing pains. Then, an MRI confirmed there was a growth. After a biopsy, Elijah was officially diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in his right leg below the knee on July 10, 2023. A CT scan also revealed spots in his lungs.

By October, Elijah had completed 11 weeks of chemotherapy and had a Below the Knee Amputation. He will continue chemo treatment until March 2024, and his oncology team plans to follow it with radiation treatment.

Now, Elijah’s family is hoping for the report that Elijah will be declared NED after his treatment in March. They believe that his story can be an inspiration for others, to know it’s possible to overcome the most difficult situations and it’s possible to experience joy and hope even in the midst of grief and despair.

“There is always hope,” shared Jerrica, Elijah’s mom. “Be hopeful and expectant of good things. Something better for you is right around the corner. There’s always a reason why hard situations happen. Believe that there is something beautiful that can come from the pain you’ve experienced. Though sorrow lasts for a moment, joy also comes to strengthen us.”

Elijah is his family’s hero. He continues to show incredible positivity and kindness to others around him, even while going through the process of having cancer and losing his leg. He is passionate about moving forward and choosing joy through this difficult time.

Elijah and his family look to foundations like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for encouragement and support for others. They believe finding a cure is possible.

“Jolly Good Jubilant Joy.” – Childhood cancer hero Elijah

Information provided by Jerrica N., Elijah’s mom
Updated February 2024