A note from Eloise:

I love going to the hospital to see Dr Ortiz. He's an oncologist. I just learned that word after I asked my mom what cancer means.

Talia is so fun to play with. She lets me play with her stethoscope and I always check Giraffee's eyes, ears, tummy, heartbeat and then I put the cuff on his arm that gives him a big hug for a minute or so. I do everything to Giraffe that Talia does to me. Then it's Ariel's turn. They don't like being on the scale alone so I go with them together.

They aren't allowed in the x-ray room with me, but I do hug them when the nurse tells me to lie still, forever. She does an ultrasound where she looks for strawberries in my belly from breakfast. Sometimes they put that smelly mask on me in a big white room with that scary loud machine. Then I fall right asleep and don't remember much.

When it's my turn to go in the back room I cry and scream a lot. I hate when they go looking for my veins. They give me silly tv to watch but it doesn't help. It hurts. My dad has to hug me tight and hold my arm down. It takes forever and lots of nurses come over to help pull the blood out. It usually takes a few tries and lots of warm packs. I always choose the pink or mermaid bandaid and then I like to pick out a toy to bring home for Gideon.

My mom started Handstand Walk for Kids. I love being with the big kids. They cheer so loudly! Whenever I see a kid on the beach doing handstands, I try to tell them about Handstand Walk for Kids. It's a special thing that just mom and I do together. This year I told mom we needed to bring jars to all the handstand walks so people can put money in them. We are then going to give the money from the jars to doctors - doctors like Dr. Ortiz, so he can help other kids who are at the hospital feel better.

This is my first year with my own page. Mom told me this is like a jar but it's on the computer. Will you fill up my jar?

A note from my mom:

All pediatric cancers are considered rare, even though in the U.S. it is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age 19. Pharmaceutical companies spend minimal dollars researching drugs for children because they lack the ability to reap large profits. This leaves the funding of new research and drugs largely up to philanthropic efforts, such as Handstand Walk for Kids, where 100% of donations go directly to doctors and researchers.

Our fundraising from 2021 and 2022 already lead to a new study on high risk Wilms Tumors. 'Walk with Eloise' was cited in the Acknowledgements on the clinical paper - incredible!

Many of the most important breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment have been made at MSK, and none of that progress would have been possible without support from people like you and me.

In fact, much of the most promising new research can't even begin without donations from individuals. In most cases, it's only after real potential has been demonstrated by early studies — studies our support has funded — that government funding for this work becomes possible.

Too many of us know people who have faced a cancer diagnosis, and sometimes it's hard to know how we can make a difference. One of the most effective ways is to make sure the crucial work being done at MSK continues to have the support it needs to drive it forward. I've created this page because I'm determined to do my part to help.

When the next new breakthrough is announced, I want to know that I have played a part in making it happen, and it would mean so much to me if you would join me in this effort. Every dollar counts, so I hope you will be as generous as you can.

Thank you!