St. Jude warrior nears one year of leukemia battle

This week during the Z107.5 St. Jude Radiothon, 6-year-old Alex Everding, of Ruston, will undergo the 37th week of her current treatment phase with the Memphis-based hospital.

Thirty-seven out of 120 weeks. It marks almost a full year since her official diagnosis of leukemia.

Alex, the daughter of Chelsea and Adam Everding, is one of more than 800 Louisiana patients now actively being treated by the hospital.

The local St. Jude Radiothon serves as a way that area residents can become involved in helping defeat catastrophic diseases that children like Alex suffer. The event’s 43rd broadcast is set for Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Ruston station KXKZ.

Chelsea Everding said Alex’s official diagnosis came on Feb. 13, 2023, after Alex had not bounced back from a bout of flu that had affected the family’s Christmas holidays. Alex had complained about her legs hurting and began limping.

An ER visit showed that her bone marrow had shut down, and an emergency transfusion was required. Alex’s regular pediatrician was concerned, of course, so additional tests were performed, and it was discovered that she had a condition that pointed to leukemia.

“From the moment we got the bloodwork done, we were on our way to St. Jude the next day,” Everding said. “It was all kind of a blur.”

In Memphis, a barrage of tests and doctors followed because the hospital had to reconfirm that she did, indeed, have leukemia. Alex’s final diagnosis was Bcell acute lymphoblastic leukemia – or B-ALL – a type of acute lymphocytic leukemia – or ALL – that affects white blood cells.

She currently receives chemo every Thursday at the Shreveport St. Jude affiliate clinic, with once-a-month trips to St. Jude itself for spinal taps to monitor the disease’s status.

Everding reinforced what other St. Jude parents often say about the facility: Whenever it’s time to visit the hospital, “the kids (Alex and her siblings, Jason and Wren) are ready to go.”

“When the kids are there, there’s never a boring moment. They (hospital staff members) try to make it at least enjoyable. The kids already have enough on their plate.”

And there’s never any hesitation when Everding is asked what Alex’s most enjoyable part of her hospital visits are … It’s “Miss Lizzy.”

Elizabeth Digiovanni is Alex’s music therapist, who “comes in when we have to do something hard,” Everding said. The family stumbled upon her by accident, Everding explained. Digiovanni drops by to see patients from time to time, and near the beginning of Alex’s treatment, Alex began to shut down. From Miss Lizzy’s first visit, Everding said, “Alex was smitten.”

During especially hard parts of treatment, Digiovanni strums the guitar, sings, plays Alex’s favorite songs and “ is just kind of there for support.” (Alex’s favorite song is “Rescue” by Lauren Daigle, worth looking up if you’ve not heard it.)

Regarding Everding’s sentiments about St. Jude Hospital, she said, “It’s a very odd feeling. We are ultimately grateful … Every need we had has always been met … Everybody who works there stops and asks, ‘How are you today?’ – from the janitor to the doctor. But there are days I hate having to go because my kid has cancer.”

If anyone is sitting on the fence concerning donating to the radiothon, Everding recommends doing a bit of research about St. Jude.

“Take 10 minutes to go through the website. There is so much that they do for the families besides never getting a medical bill. They literally take care of every single thing … St. Jude definitely has an attitude of ‘This is not enough. What more can we do?’”

She cited such things as the construction of two new two-story buildings with additional floors of in-patient rooms and the new, expansive Domino Village so that families can live on campus instead of off.

Gina Holstead, a member of radiothon co-sponsor Zeta Rho- Epsilon Sigma Alpha, shared her experience of working with the Everding family as director of Temple Baptist Church Mother’s Day Out and Pre-K program.

“Being present with Alex’s sickness, initial diagnosis and following her treatment has given me a front-row seat to families that experience childhood cancer and even more of a reason to be involved in raising money to support St Jude,” she said.

Donations can be made by calling 1-800-787-5288, by texting “Ruston” to 626262, or by donating online via the station’s Facebook (Z107.5) or Instagram (Z1075fm) pages. In-person donations will be taken in related side events at the Ruston Walmart Supercenter and Super 1 Foods.