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Six Flags St. Louis
Join us on July 17, 2010
Online registration has closed for this event. You can register in person at the park on the morning of the walk starting at 8:00am. Day of registration fees are $15 per person.
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Walk Ambassador
On the day after Halloween of 2006, Greta’s mom Linda picked her up from school. When Greta got into the car, she began to cry. She had a pain in her right leg that had returned. This pain had occurred twice before for Greta. Once in August of 2006 after horseback riding in the mountains of Colorado, Greta had complained about a pain. Again, in September 2006 the pain appeared after Greta was jumping on a neighbor’s trampoline all afternoon. Each time the pain was located in around her right femur. The pain was accompanied by a low grade fever, which baffled the parents of this eight year old little girl. Greta would take Tylenol for the pain and by the next day the fever and pain were gone.
On that Halloween night in 2006, Greta dressed up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and ran around the neighborhood in ruby shoes on the hard pavement. When her mother picked her up from school the next day and saw Greta in pain, crying in her car, she knew she had to take her to pediatrician. The doctor ordered blood tests and an x-ray of her right leg. After 24 hours, the Thompson’s got the news that Greta had a tumor on her right femur. Cancer had literally landed in Greta’s lap.
On November 6, 2006, the family met Dr. Hugge at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. The next day Greta had a biopsy done to confirm that her cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma, was present. The tumor ended up being 5 inches long.
The storm of pain that Greta had felt building in her leg was now a cyclone. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, things move fast. Greta had a port placed in her chest and began chemotherapy. Greta would check into “Hotel Cardinal Glennon” every two weeks. By Christmas of 2006 she had lost all of her chocolate brown hair. Before she lost her hair, she had it cut off and donated it to the Locks of Love. After just a few weeks of treatment, she was bald, but the pain was gone. In January 2007, Greta endured a 7 ½ hour surgery that removed 7 inches of her right femur and cadaver bone replaced it. Her body accepted the donor bone and Greta was on the road to recovery. Now 11 years old and in the 6th grade, Greta’s parent Linda and Neal say that they can’t keep up with the beautiful girl. Greta’s active in dance and swimming and her parents say she never stops moving forward with her marvelous energy. Not even a cyclone could stop her. Greta would gently push it away.
Walk Ambassador
Samantha was born 4 weeks premature, however healthy. Her blood sugar had to be monitored closely for the first 36 hours since doctors were concerned because her mom is diabetic. Samantha was fine until April 2000 when she was diagnosed as diabetic as well. She was just getting adjusted to this when she was diagnosed with Leukemia.
In June 2001 she started to complain of pain in her right leg and had a low grade fever. After the third episode the family became very concerned. Samantha was unable to walk on her right leg and seemed lethargic and pale. Her doctor took one look at her in his office and sent Samantha straight to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Emergency Room.
The result was Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Samantha spent 10 days in the hospital. First getting a Port-A-Cath and then getting blood transfusions and chemotherapy.
Samantha’s treatment lasted 130 weeks (2.8 yrs). Her prognosis is excellent! If she remains in remission for 5 years the doctors will call her cured.
Samantha has also developed a condition known as Perthes’ Disease in her right hip because of the treatment. The steroids caused the blood supply to the thigh bone to be decreased and there were multiple micro-fractures to the part that joins the hip. She will likely have arthritis very early in life and be in need of a new hip at a young age.
About the Hospital
Children’s Miracle Network of Greater St. Louis (CMN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. The money raised stays right here in town and is equally divided between our two outstanding pediatric institutions.
About the Park
Six Flags St. Louis is two great parks in one! The theme park offers eight thrilling roller coasters including the incredible Evel Knievel and Batman The Ride. The park also offers family thrill rides, live entertainment and a great kid’s area, Bugs Bunny National Park! Plan to stay all day and be amazed by our Glow in the Park Parade. And be sure to cool off in Hurricane Harbor with speed slides, tube slides, a lazy river, a kids area…all FREE with your theme park admission. Join us for a great cause, a Walk in the Park, and a great day at Six Flags St. Louis.
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