Canby High School junior, soccer captain and cheerleader Ellie Shorter has been named the Canby Now Podcast’s inaugural Canby Person of the Year for 2019.
Just a few months ago, Ellie and her family received the devastating news that she has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects the white blood cells. Rather than give in to self pity, Ellie has insisted on sharing her diagnosis with the world in the hope that her strength and courage would inspire others.
“Believe it or not, I’m the lucky one that got diagnosed with this,” Ellie told us back in October. “There’s a reason why. And it’s because I’m one of the strongest girls, ever. I live by that, day by day.”
The Canby Now team was among the many, locally and even across the country, who have been inspired by Ellie, her courage, her poise and her stubborn refusal to lose her joy, even in the face of challenges that have rocked those much older and more experienced.
We selected her story from a short list of worthy newsmakers from the past year primarily because of the way she has succeeded in inspiring and uniting her teammates, school and entire community.
Thank you, Ellie. Fight on. We’ve got your back. #elliestrong #elliesarmy
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