10/05/2026
Meet Bowen
In June 2025, when Bowen was 3, he was sick to his stomach and sleepy. But his sibling had just recovered from a stomach virus. It seemed related.
Still, something nagged at his mom, Kellie, who is also a nurse. “He just had a look about him that was a little unsettling to me,” she said.
At the local urgent care clinic, Bowen’s heart rate started dropping, and he began dipping in and out of consciousness. At the hospital, a CT scan showed a large tumor in his brain.
Following surgery to remove the tumor, Bowen was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and began chemotherapy for a type of brain cancer called choroid plexus carcinoma. “It’s extremely rare,” said his mom. “We won the unfortunate lottery.”
Bowen and his family spent Christmas at St. Jude that year. They made the most of it, enjoying the holiday lights around the St. Jude campus and baking cookies in St. Jude housing.
“Bowen always had a smile on his face. He is such a light,” said Kellie. “Moving to Memphis was not on my bingo card for 2025, but I would have taken him to the moon if that’s what was needed. Looking back, I don’t think it could have
been possible to have a better experience. I’m so grateful.”
Bowen returned home to Georgia in February 2026. He loves helping in the garden, throwing rocks in the creek and playing with sticks.
