11-year-old and 4-time cancer survivor gifted shopping spree

HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) - Eleven-year-old Eleanor Brooks is ready to take on the world once again, after beating Leukemia for the fourth time.

“She was diagnosed the first time when she was two, and (after) two and a half years of chemo, there was no evidence of the disease, and then she was off treatment for two years, and then she relapsed again,” Eleanor’s mother, Aronne Brooks told us.

It wasn’t just the same treatments for Eleanor; she had a tumor removed from her brain, as well as bone marrow transplants.

“It’s exhausting and heartbreaking, but you just have to keep going,” Aronne Brooks said.

On Tuesday, Eleanor did keep going - up and down the girls’ aisles of the Burlington on West Broad Street.

“That’s cute, I like this one!” she said looking over clothes.

She was given $150 to spend on new clothes, courtesy of Burlington and the Virginia Chapter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

“It’s infectious to see their smiles. Her story is very near and dear to the other patients and staff members with our organization,” said Khiem Tran with LLS.

The joint collaboration has taken place for the last 18 years, with Burlington raising $40 million across the country for blood cancer patients, like Eleanor.

“It’s important for us as a retailer to do that. It makes a big difference in people’s lives,” said Johnny Larkin, manager of the West Broad Street Burlington.

And even though this shopping spree was for her, Eleanor’s first instinct was to give back to her siblings.

“I’m not just going to use this on myself," she said.

"Being in and out of treatment for nine years, she hasn’t given the 11-year-old a lot of opportunities to be a normal kid, but now she’s 11 and in middle school. It’s nice for her to do things that her friends are doing,” Aronne Brooks said.

Burlington is accepting donations on behalf of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society until December 2nd.

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