9-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Reaches Art Contest Finals

A Franklin boy who battled rare eye cancer as a toddler is now competing for $20,000 in a national art contest that's helping him reclaim his childhood.

Elliott Hendrix, 9, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma at age 2 and received treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. The rare cancer, which affects only 200 to 300 children in the U.S. each year, cost Elliott his left eye.

But losing his eye turned out to be just the beginning of Elliott's struggle. After treatment ended, he retreated into himself, unable to let anyone touch or care for his prosthetic eye except his doctor.

"Those two to three years were what we called 'the dark days,'" said his mother, Natasha Hendrix, who owns McCreary's Irish Pub in Franklin. "I didn't know if I was going to get my baby back."

Everything changed when Elliott discovered art in second grade. His mother connected him with an artist who helped develop his skills, and Elliott began to emerge from his shell.

Now he's a finalist in the "Bob Ross Presents: America's Most Artistic Kid" contest alongside seven other young artists. His submitted pieces include a flamingo made of colorful shells and stones, a still life of an acorn on a branch, and houses on the moon.

The competition doubles as a fundraiser for Blood Cancer United, making Elliott's participation especially meaningful. When his mother first suggested entering, Elliott hesitated, saying he wasn't good enough.

"I said, 'Why don't you try it? Even if you don't win, you've lost nothing, and you gave it your best shot,'" Natasha recalled.

Sunny's Take

Art gave Elliott something school couldn't: freedom to make mistakes and be himself. The creative outlet helped him overcome his fear of caring for his prosthetic eye, a task that took him five years to master.

Now Elliott sports a Spider-Man prosthetic eye and a sparkly, glow-in-the-dark one he helped design. The fun eyes have helped him connect with classmates and build confidence.

While chalk pastels remain his favorite medium, Elliott is now taking crochet classes and exploring every creative avenue he can find. He's been cancer-free for seven years and finally finding his way forward.

"He's going to be OK," Natasha said. "I did get my baby back."

Voting for the contest ends April 23 at 9 p.m., and the winner will receive $20,000, have their artwork displayed at the Minnetrista Museum in Indiana, and appear on "The Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins."