Avery Strong

As some of you know, I'm Abby, the Health Room Assistant at Prairie Elementary in Yelm, WA. That little girl in the cover photo, that's Avery, a 9-year-old soon-to-be 3rd grader who popped into my Health Room multiple times over the last couple of years. I've gotten to know her mom, Jenna, very well and we now address each other as "Bestie" when I call. :) I'd start every phone call with "Everything is fine" and let her know about whatever ailment Avery was presenting with. The last several months of school, she was up in my Health Room A LOT.

You see, Avery is special. And yeah, all kids are special but this one, she's something else. She lights up a room with her smile and her cute giggle, she's hilarious, her outfits are on point, she's thoughtful, she's strong, and she's a fighter. She has had 3 run-ins with cancer in her short little life when I met her, thus resulting in my borderline overbearing phone calls/emails to her mom every day. She beat it 3 times. Now, unfortunately, it's going to turn into 4 times as she was recently diagnosed on June 19th, 2025, two days after school got out.

There's not a lot I can do in this situation but what I can do is start a fundraiser. Avery and her family are currently staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle while she receives treatment. If you'd like to help, I'm sure they'd appreciate whatever support you can give.

You can follow her journey here: https://www.facebook.com/AverysRoadtoTransplant

Avery Swag Link: https://forms.gle/wmSkzFhzK9GRmnAy7 (closes 7/16 @ midnight...available 2 weeks later)