You Got This, Chase
It was an early morning in 2012, at the height of summer, when two-year-old Chase Ewold’s parents received the most devastating news about their sweet little boy.
Chase had begun exhibiting some concerning symptoms that morning when the Ewolds called 911 and rushed their son to the hospital. Eventually he was transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital, a Children’s Miracle Network hospital in Chicago, where the mother, Ellie, learned that Chase had a very rare brain and spinal cancer.
Never in their lives had Chase’s parents been more at a loss for words, especially after hearing the doctor’s prognosis that Chase had only a 20% chance of surviving the illness.
"Being a parent to a child with cancer is a constant push through pain," Ellie said, "with the idea of long-term reward."
Since receiving the diagnosis, Chase, who is now 10 years old, has endured radiation, 10 different bouts of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries — so many procedures to save his young life! His little body has had to endure more poking and prodding than anyone would want in a lifetime, but he keeps on fighting. As does his family.
To keep that fight going, Ellie got approached by some folks at Lurie Children’s to see if the family would like to take part in a Children’s Miracle Network golf outing being put on with Ace Hardware. Chase represented Lurie Children’s at the event by serving lemonade for donations and showing the wonderful work the hospital is doing to help him and the many other children getting care there.
Ace corporate had decided some years earlier to partner with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which raises money for children’s hospitals across the United States and in Canada. It is a corporate fundraising position that many local Ace store owners around America have gotten behind. Their efforts have helped raise more than $125 million dollars in the last 20 years to fund everything from groundbreaking medical work to something as seemingly simple as pop-up dinners to give the families with kids in long-term care a hot meal.
While the Ewolds met many people at some of the earlier CMN meetings with Ace Hardware, one particularly special person stood out to Ellie. That was Christine Doucet, the director of the Ace Hardware Foundation. Christine, who has a son Chase’s age, said she felt something very special about Chase.
"Over the years, we’ve developed a very special relationship," Christine said of her and Chase.
In fact, whenever they’d drive by Christine’s office, he would look at the building and say, "Hi, Ms. Chris," with the enthusiasm only a child can possess.
So when Chase found out he would need another surgery after the doctors discovered a secondary thyroid cancer, Christine decided to pay in kind. On the morning of the surgery, Christine and her team sent Chase a message back as a show of support.
"On the building, the entire Ace headquarters was lit up with huge letters in every single window that said, ‘You got this, Chase!’" Ellie said with tears in her eyes as she recalled that special morning. "In many ways, that set the tone for the day."
Chase has come to see the folks at Ace not only as friend but also as family. Whenever he sees the Ace sign at the inpatient unit at the hospital, he knows his Ace family has his back and supports him.
"In this moment, right now, Chase is 100% here. He’s 100% energy and 100% joy," Ellie said. "That keeps me going."
