With a mixture of sorrow and admiration, we announce the passing of CAC2 member Alea Christine Ramsey on January 28, 2024, at age 18.
Alea’s life was a tapestry of curiosity, adventure, and an infectious smile that could light up the darkest room. With ocean-blue eyes and an indomitable spirit that embraced every opportunity, she grew into a fearless and sassy young woman. Alea’s interests ranged from building robots and tinkering with power tools to ballet dancing, playing the flute, and singing in the choir to snowboarding, kayaking, and playing softball, lacrosse, and volleyball, and her love of family and friends, poetry, and Fairy Blue Penguins.
At just 13 years old, Alea was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer that was attacking Alea’s bones and lungs. In all, Alea battled cancer ten times, spent over 300 days in Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and faced six surgeries – including removal of tumors on her bones as well as total knee replacement surgery – and 24 rounds of chemotherapy. Instead of allowing it to define her, she transformed her journey into a powerful platform for advocacy. Alea founded the nonprofit Bearing Hope, becoming a beacon for Childhood Cancer Awareness and Disability Awareness. She raised substantial funds to support children at Nationwide Children’s Hospital-Oncology through events like the annual Upper Arlington Go Gold Game.
Alea’s impact reached beyond fundraising; she became a strong voice for her cause, inspiring others to join her mission to help other children and families struggling to cope with cancer understand their new circumstances, cope with the flood of emotions, and create a new normal. Despite her medical battles, she continued to dance through life, hoping that her story would contribute to finding a cure for others. While in treatment, Alea wrote and published a book about her experiences with cancer. “When Life Gives You Cancer” touches on the themes of the loss of her childhood to cancer and hope for the future. The memoir is a combination of poetry written with personal experiences as an AYA cancer fighter, nonprofit CEO, and advocate for Childhood Cancer Awareness.
Although Alea’s dream of graduating with her classmates, attending Denison University to become a pediatric oncology nurse, and continuing her advocacy was cut short, her involvement with multiple nonprofit organizations showcased her commitment to positively impacting and leaving cherished memories for her family. Alea wanted to be remembered for the incredible person she was – inclusive, innovative, and committed to others before herself – a young woman who touched many hearts.
Alea resided in Upper Arlington, Ohio, with her parents, Janette and Sean Ramsey, her siblings Emma, Laiken, and Mason, and her four dogs, Perfect Nard, Linus, Frank, and Fiona.