Ariana Ruskey-Moffett
Age 11
The Children’s Hospital
Cancer
Eleven-year-old Ariana Ruskey-Moffett has always been a precocious child with a dynamic personality. A stranger once commented, “It’s hard to imagine she won’t be a movie star.” Not that the glamour of Hollywood would fit the personality of a girl who loves karate, barrel racing and archery, and who regards solving math problems as a special treat.
On New Year’s Day, the limitless possibilities Ariana and her family hoped for unexpectedly came into question. Complaining of lower back pain, Ariana went to The Children’s Hospital for x-rays. They revealed a small amount of hardened tissue, which they hoped was just a minor injury. But the pain soon became excruciating.
After an MRI doctors discovered that the tissue was not an injury but a tumor called Ewing’s Sarcoma, an extremely rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer. Ariana quickly went into surgery, but due to the location of the tumor the only further option was chemotherapy.
Arianna is not a quitter. She pushed through a year of treatment, determined to beat cancer and anything that came with it. And she did. By the time school began in 2007 Ariana’s cancer was a thing of the past.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
About Walmart and Sam's Club
Wal-Mart has supported Children’s Miracle Network since 1987. Since then, Children’s Miracle Network and Wal-Mart have worked tirelessly together to help children by raising money for children’s hospitals. Walmart and Sam’s Club associates, customers and members have raised more than $460 million for children’s hospitals during the relationship. This is the first year Walmart and Sam’s Club have sponsored the Champions Across America program.
Champions Across America presented by Walmart and Sam's Club
Champions Across America presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club is a Children's Miracle Network program that brings attention to the important work being done at children’s hospitals by honoring remarkable children who have faced severe medical challenges.
The Champions Across America program designates a Champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2009 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including brittle bone disease, brain tumors and cerebral palsy, as well as surviving car accidents and plane crashes.
As part of Champions Across America, the Champions travel for a week – first to Florida to meet Children’s Miracle Network sponsors, hospital and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort. The group will then travel to Washington, D.C., where Champions traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to The White House.
The Champions Across America program designates a Champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2009 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including brittle bone disease, brain tumors and cerebral palsy, as well as surviving car accidents and plane crashes.
As part of Champions Across America, the Champions travel for a week – first to Florida to meet Children’s Miracle Network sponsors, hospital and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort. The group will then travel to Washington, D.C., where Champions traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to The White House.
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