By Lauren Wanko
Correspondent
Nine-year-old Ella Wilson reads to her mom and sister. This book is a little different from all the others on her shelf. That’s because the third-grader wrote it.
“She wanted to be a published author, she wants to have book signings, she wants her books to be on the shelves,” said Ella’s mom Terri.
It sounds like making that dream a reality at 9 would be an uphill battle. But this young writer was already battling Neurofibromatosis, or NF, when she self-published her work.
“It’s a genetic disorder that causes tumor growth throughout the body,” Terri said.
Last year Ella went for chemo treatments to stop the tumors’ growth. They’re still in her body but are stable. She now has no vision in her left eye and her right eye is impaired. She struggles with other symptoms like learning disabilities. There’s no cure for NF.
When asked what it was like having to go to the hospital, Ella said, “I stayed positive by singing a lot of songs — 80s mostly. Whoa, Living on a Prayer!”
Aside from her love of Bon Jovi, Terri says her daughter always had a caring spirit.
“I just think of her as magic,” Terri said.
Since she was diagnosed at 5, she’s raised $32,000 for NF research, loaded up cars full of toys for needy kids and hosted other events.
“I want to help other people find a cure and help them get through these tough times as kids,” Ella said.
“That’s one of the things she wants to instill in others — that even though you may be faced with challenges you can overcome them,” Terri said.
Her book — titled I Sold My Sister — is all about young children coping with a new addition to the family. Her younger sister Claire was the inspiration. When she came home from the hospital, Ella thought, ‘What if I sold my sister?’ but changed her mind. A portion of each book sale will be donated to The Children’s Tumor Foundation and Camp Sunshine. She’s gotten financial support from her GoFundMe website and emotional support from her Facebook followers.
“So many people have helped me and I want to give it back. What goes around comes around,” Ella said.
Today she’s filling backpacks with food and supplies for the homeless she meets while promoting her book.
When asked why she wants to help these people, Ella said, “Because it makes me feel good and it helps me live my whole life.”
Ella’s book launch kicks off on June 6 at a minor league baseball game. After that, she starts her summer tour in July. She’s already scheduled a number of book signings in quite a few states.