Cheerleading is way more than just a sport. It’s a place you work hard, you learn to be dedicated, you make lifelong memories, and you meet your best friends. That is what happened with two young women we love very much – Ava and Ariel.
Ava Anderson is a vibrant and energetic teenager who loves life and continues to live her best life, every moment of every day. Ava will be heading to Lexington to attend Summit Academy this fall to pursue her love for Cosmetology. Ava is pure joy and has a big heart.
Ariel was a cheerleader and animal lover. Ariel loved being a cheerleader and the friendships and bonds that she made along the way. Ariel's favorite part about cheerleading was the tumbling and she was so good at it. Ariel was a daily dose of spunk, love, laughter and smile all rolled into one. She had a heart of gold and made the world a better place. More than anything, Ariel loved God and taught so many what it means to have true faith.
In 2020, Ava was on a Royalty Elite junior level 3 team, 24k. One of the coaches on that team was Coach Coral. 24k found themselves in need of a replacement athlete for several months, and it just so happened that Ariel, Coral’s little sister, fit the bill perfectly. Ariel competed with 24k several times in the 2020-2021 season. This is how Ava, and the rest of her Royalty Elite family came to know and love Ariel.
Cheerleading brought these young women together, but something even more bonded them and their families for life.
At the tender age of 3, Ava was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor. This cancerous tumor is the #1 childhood kidney cancer and 4th most common cancer among children. This cancer is caused by a gene mutation in the kidneys after birth. Once discovered, they immediately removed her left kidney and completed 6 months of chemo. During her battle Ava’s motto was “Stronger than Cancer”. As Ava does, she battled this condition, proved she was stronger than cancer, and as a result she has been cancer free for the past 15 years.
In January of 2022 Ariel was diagnosed with inoperable glioblastoma, a terminal brain tumor. Ariel battled brain cancer the same way she had lived her whole 17 years before cancer, with a never give up attitude, a continuous smile and a love for life. She was brave, courageous and truly amazing. On January 20, 2023, God called Ariel to her Heavenly home where we are sure she is providing Heaven with spunk, love, laughter and smiles too. Ariel’s family has created the “Well Yeah” foundation to honor her and keep her memory alive.
Some people might have known our Hoosiers Outrun Cancer team as “Team Ava”. As we head into the 15th year attending Hoosiers Outrun Cancer, Team Ava would like to honor her dear friend, Ariel. Thus creating, The A Team. This community honors those who have been diagnosed with cancer to raise money for further research and support.
Help us show that, “Well Yeah” we are "Stronger Than Cancer" by supporting Hoosiers Outrun Cancer. We will continue to make a difference in cancer not only today but for the future.
