MEMPHIS, Tenn., September 14, 2023 /CSRwire/ – FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), together with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, celebrated the 11th anniversary of the Purple Eagle program at TPC Southwind during the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The program annually names a Cessna Caravan aircraft for a St. Jude patient who is also the child or grandchild of a FedEx team member.
This year’s honoree is seven-year-old St. Jude patient Olivia. Soon after her birth, her parents noticed several spots of brown pigmentation on her body. At her six-month checkup, the doctor let her parents know that these spots, called café au lait spots, were signs of a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis. Genetic testing later confirmed the diagnosis. In October of 2021, not long after her family moved to Memphis for her dad’s new job at FedEx, she began having seizures. An MRI revealed a grape-sized tumor on her optic nerve, and she was referred to St. Jude Children’s Hospital for ongoing care. She continues to see a St. Jude ophthalmologist every three months, while taking medication that has allowed her to remain seizure-free.
Source: FedEx and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Celebrating 11th Purple Eagle Honoree
