Eden began her brave fight with cancer in 2023 at the age of 16. She was a typical high-school junior, a gifted artist, an athlete, and a girl excited for her senior year and planning for college. Everything changed when what seemed like simple back pain was found to be a tumor. Eden was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer.

From the moment of her diagnosis, Eden faced every step of her treatment with strength and her unmistakable humor. She endured five chemotherapy drugs at extremely high doses, often for 2–5 days at a time, across 10 months in the hospital. The newest of these drugs was developed in 1983; the oldest in 1959. Still they are considered “the best we have” for kids like Eden. Sadly, Eden relapsed just 3 months after her final treatment. Although the doctors (and Eden) never gave up, it was clear that there was no set protocol for Eden's relapse.

During her treatment, we learned painful truths:
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children in the U.S.
Up to 95% of survivors face lifelong health issues from toxic treatments.
And childhood cancer receives only 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s research budget.

Eden deserved better! All children do!

Her courage and her determination to live fully, even on her hardest days, continue to inspire everyone who knew her. She showed us what true strength looks like.

The Eden Project for the Sam Day Foundation was created to honor our beautiful daughter Eden’s spirit and to drive the progress children urgently need. Our goal is to build a strong Seattle presence that supports the Foundation’s work. Together, we’re committed to fueling better research, advocating for safer and more effective treatments, and bringing real hope to families facing childhood cancer today.

The Eden Project for Sam Day Foundation

In Memory of Eden Shoultz