Last Season the St. Louis Blues had a unique good luck charm.  11-year-old Laila Anderson is a huge fan and became a viral icon for the team.  Young Laila was diagnosed with hemophagocyticlymphohistiocytosis, which causes the immune system to fail.  White blood cells not only don’t work in a helpful way, but can actually cause harm to the liver, spleen and bone marrow.  Laila had nearly died battling her condition, however continued to be an outspoken proud St. Louis Blues fan.  After meeting with the team last year they realized how inspirational her positive spirit was.  She had to endure a period of isolation for her illness, but was able to make it to the winning game and was invited onto the ice to celebrate with the Stanley Cup and with the team.

The St. Louis Blues recently had their Stanley Cup ring ceremony and the championship rings were unveiled.  The rings included over 10.6 carats of precious stones (diamonds and sapphires), but also included a heartwearming tribute to Laila in each ring.  Her strength was a continuous motivation for the team.  In fact, two players from the team recently showed up at her house to present her with her very own championship ring, which she promptly kissed while happy tears were flowing.

What a great reminder that our attitude and the way we fight our battles can be a motivation to so many people, some we may never even meet or know about. #hemophagocyticlymphohistiocytosis #raredisease #parenting