LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – On Friday, August 27, 2024, Room2Luv surprised Warrior Eleanor with an entire room re-do. It included amazing features such as all-new furniture, complete with matching room accessories, and the star of the show, an entire wall covered in a hand-painted canvas, that makes one feel as if they’d walked straight into a fairyland forest. New clothes, games, school supplies, beautiful lights, and an extra-cozy egg chair and blanket (that Eleanor self-proclaimed to be both her favorite and most cozy) make the room something out of a dream. You can see and read more on Room2Luv’s Facebook!
Eleanor Sayers has been nothing but smiles and strength throughout her whole journey. No matter what life threw at her, she remains sunshine, strong and spirited. As an elementary student, she has gone through more in her young years than some go through for their entire life. Her father, Sean Sayers, has blogged and photographed her entire journey from day one to new room day this past saturday. You can read and see it all on their Facebook page, “Suburban Anchor”, here: https://www.facebook.com/mvoldmaui
Saturday was an emotional day for everyone, including Carol, her grandmother. When asked to speak about everything Eleanor, she had much to say. She wanted to make sure that amidst all the ‘big’ (Room2Luv, Clements Cuties, and all the sponsors included that brought Eleanors’ room to life) that we not forget about the ‘small’. The people that, along the way, did big things to help Eleanor with her journey, which began in an emergency room and a case of back pain.
“And the nurse, you need to get the nurse’s name, who was on. Alison knows who it is. I don’t know if she was retired from oncology or whatever it was, but she sent them to Children’s Hospital right away. She didn’t even get her exam, she said immediately ‘send the child’. That woman alone saved Eleanor.”
Family members from out of town will and would call near almost every day to check in on her progress and how she is doing. Sean and Allison Sayer, Eleanor’s parents, have had nothing but gratitude for everyone who has made everything possible amidst everything. They speak of how they used to have a hard time accepting the help, but slowly realized that those who were offering it never expected anything in return. Allison is also the founder of Eleanor’s Everything, where, ‘We sew and sell cute things to help other families who have a child with cancer – like ours. We donate 20% of profits to organizations who help SoMD families through treatment, survival and/or bereavement. Thank you for helping us to help others. ’
Sean, the father, along with keeping everyone near and dear to the family in the loop through his boat-blog-turned-Eleanor’s-log, had to take a break from his teaching job to care for Eleanor; to be her one of two rocks through the storm.
“He took two years off from teaching. Took her every time. Never sugar coated what was going to happen, because Tuesdays were always the bad day; because she would get the chemo that would make her sick. So, he would take the camper and they would go to the campsite. Just because it was closer to the hospital and then she could recuperate a little bit better. But for the first three weeks, she had to stay in the hospital and somebody had to stay with her. And so, Alison was working. She would go up on the weekends. But Sean just took the time off. He was there constantly driving back and forth. But the people, the outpouring of support was wonderful. There was a man who bought new tires for his truck and they have got, they still have gas cards.
From those around them providing monetary help through their GoFundMe Page, as well as providing meals, gas cards and other necessities to help the family though this time, other outpourings of support have come in ways one wouldn’t expect. When Eleanor decided to cut her hair off due to it falling out, not only did her father shave his as well, numerous staff members at the Point Lookout Marina surprised her by doing the same. Everyone around her knows that Eleanor, while not only being strong, is also curious about any and everything.
“But Eleanor, you know how Eleanor is, very inquisitive, wanted to know what they were doing, not sugar coating it. ‘Tell me exactly what’s going on’, even at seven. So, they would explain everything to her. She knows the terminology for all of this stuff. So, I’m hoping she goes into oncology. I was going to say, right, I hope she does. But she’s curious. She just, she soaked up all of the terminology and all of the treatment and just everything. And her father was a godsend.”
After the room was revealed, lots of pictures, questions, and many more activities, the day wrapped up with tearful goodbyes and a buzz in the air for her new room. Once everyone had left, Eleanor had simply said, to finish out the day, “I’m going to go for a walk. I’ve got a lot to think about, but thank you for being here.” And with that, the day came to an end, and also, started something new.
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