Three days before Christmas in 2007, at just 4 1/2 years old, Ellie Koerner’s life changed forever.

Giddy with anticipation for her first slumber party, Koerner woke up at a neighbor’s house the next morning, covered in red dots. What was supposed to be a festive day of Christmas shopping with her mom quickly turned into an emergency room visit on the urgent advice of her father, who worked in medicine.

“We went to the hospital and I never came home,” said Koerner.

That moment marked the beginning of a chapter for Koerner and her family that they never believed could happen.

At the emergency room, Koerner’s blood was drawn, and the results were sent to her father, who served as her pediatrician. When the results came back that she had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, her father delivered the news to her mother, a difficult part of Koerner’s story.

Koerner spent the next few months at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), accompanied by her mother and visits from her father and siblings. Koerner commented that she had to grow up quickly after her diagnosis, but some of her core memories from her time in the hospital were the sponsored meals, cards, and toys that brought a smile to her face.

Koerner remarked that her journey through treatment and remission with pediatric cancer has helped to shape her mindset and turn her into the person she is today.

“I learned that I’m much stronger than I think and that I have the power to empower other people,” said Koerner.

Soon after her diagnosis, Koerner and her family knew they wanted to help empower and support others who were in a similar position. Together, they created the Ellie Koerner Leukemia Foundation (EKLF) and have raised almost $200,000 since, with only more dreams, funds, and awareness to come.

EKLF provides financial and emotional support for the families at the Ronald McDonald House and CHOP. Whether it’s cooking meals, hair cutting donations, bowling events, or their annual Holiday Toy Drive, Koerner’s personal favorite, the family is aiming to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families.

The toy drive serves as a festive holiday party, where all guests bring a toy with their entry. Days later, Koerner and her family take the toys to CHOP for parents to pick out gifts free of charge for their children.

Working with her foundation all throughout her later childhood, when it came time for Koerner to head off to college, she knew she needed to continue her service and be a part of THON.

“I ultimately picked Penn State because of THON,” said Koerner.

Things came full circle this past February when Koerner and her best friend were selected to dance in THON 2025 as an independent dancer couple (IDC). The pair raised almost $14,000 together and completed all 46 hours of the weekend’s dance marathon.

Seeing the families throughout the weekend and seeing the awareness and money raised for pediatric cancer were emotional and impactful moments for Koerner. Most impactful of all, however, was when Koerner was given the opportunity to share her story during Greek Hour.

Sharing her success story with a community she cares so deeply without was not lost on her, and Koerner expressed an immense amount of gratitude for the encouragement she received.

“Speaking on stage was easily my favorite memory from my time at Penn State. It means so much to me that people actually listened. The Penn State community was so supportive of me and my family,” said Koerner.

Her THON Weekend was filled with memories and keepsakes from her treatments, reminding her why she chose to dance and what she was doing it for.

When she’s not busy with her foundation or schoolwork, you’ll also find Ellie as a devoted member of Kappa Alpha Theta, involved in Panhellenic, PAW Pals, and serving the community through ServeState.

As she prepares to graduate with an Integrative Science degree, a love for medicine has always been in her blood.

“When I was four, I had more knowledge and curiosity than any kid. I had an innate curiosity of what the doctors were doing, and I have always looked up to the doctors and nurses that treated me at CHOP,” said Koerner.

After graduation, Koerner will attend medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as a triple legacy, following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. Following medical school, she’ll apply to residency, likely in dermatology or some variation of cosmetic medicine after experiencing that positive work environment last summer.

“I get how it feels to be the patient. I think that is going to help me become a really great doctor, because I get it. I understand that you have to treat more than just the illness, but the emotional side of the patient, family, and siblings too,” said Koerner.

Through it all, Koerner expressed an immense gratitude for the life she gets to live and the people she has been able to impact along the way.

“Through it all, I think I found my purpose. I love to use my voice and share my story to give other people hope that their cancer doesn’t have to be a sad story,” said Koerner.