Meet Crosslyn
Described by her dad as an "old soul" with a spicy streak, Crosslyn was 11 years old when she and her family discovered that she had a brain tumor. She was referred to St. Jude for treatment.
St. Jude patient Crosslyn
St Jude patient Crosslyn
Crosslyn's story
Crosslyn comes from a rodeo family. She holds several rodeo pageant titles and competes in barrel-racing, trail and pole bending events at youth rodeos across the country. In fact, she competed in July 2024, at the age of 11, shortly before it was discovered that she had a tumor in her brain.
“Nothing like that had crossed our mind,” said her dad, Brian. When they learned it was a rare and aggressive form of cancer called atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), “that's just kind of when the bottom of your stomach falls out.”
Crosslyn was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for treatment.
St Jude patient Crosslyn with her mom
St. Jude patient Crosslyn with her parents
Being away from home, and especially being away from her Palomino horse, Dolly, has been difficult on Crosslyn. Sometimes she would get to see and talk to Dolly on video calls home. “Dolly would stop and turn towards her and listen to her, and she'd come up to the phone and just kind of nuzzle the phone,” said her mom, B.J. “Horses, they feel your soul, and they can tell when you're having an off day.”
B.J. described Crosslyn as an “old soul,” with a spicy streak. Fun and outgoing, she loves being a prankster but is also remarkably empathetic and mature for her age.
St. Jude patient Crosslyn with her sister
St. Jude patient Crosslyn with her parents
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