15 years. A lifetime of memories already. From tiny hands & first steps to finding your voice & lighting up every room you walk into - we couldn’t be more proud of the person you are. Kind. Strong. Funny. Determined. Inspirational. Happy 15th birthday, Eleanor. #eleanorsvoice 💜
A very recent head & shoulders picture of Eleanor, she is looking directly at the camera smiling sweetly. A small intimate performance stage is behind her with various musical instruments and professional stage lighting visible in the background.
11 years… Sometimes it feels like time has passed us by in a blink. Eleanor has been through so much - and yet, somehow, has achieved so much too. It’s honestly difficult to sum it all up. But every now and then it feels important to stop, stand still, and take it all in. And for those of you who’ve joined us at different points along the way… here’s a little catch-up. Since the age of 3, with very little respite in between, Eleanor has - so far - undergone a combined total of 6 years of chemotherapy and targeted treatment. It’s been incredibly tough on her little body at times. One of the biggest chapters for us all was the 7 hours of deep-brain neurosurgery she underwent in 2021, followed by a long and challenging recovery.
And yet - in amongst all of this - life has kept happening. At just 8 years old, Eleanor made her West End debut on the stage of the Old Vic Theatre, reprising the same role for a further two years. She recorded 78 episodes of a cartoon, which is still broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK and on children’s channels around the world. She’s had a BBC documentary made about her. She became the youngest visually impaired Audio Describer for live theatre in the UK - and possibly the world - and has lent her voice, experience, and perspective to many other things too, far too many to list here! She’s well on her way to becoming 15, no longer a little girl, but a young lady. She inspires us, and makes us proud to be her parents, every single day.
Most recently, on the exact anniversary of her diagnosis, Eleanor underwent her 42nd MRI scan. After a week of waiting, we received positive news. Her brain tumour is stable, she remains treatment-free, and - all being well - her next scan will be in six months’ time. So today feels like a good moment to reflect, to acknowledge how far she’s come, and to quietly celebrate the here and now. We continue to play for time - time for kinder treatments, time for more living, more laughing, and more moments like this. Thank you for being with us on this journey. It can be hard at times, emotionally and financially, but your messages, kindness, and support always mean the world to us. #eleanorsvoice 🤩💜
A little update, from us, titled 11 years! It’s a lot of text as pictures -too much for Blue Sky-, so it’s all ALT text too! #inclusive #eleanorsvoice 🤩💜
Eleanor with her long, light brown hair is shown from the waist up, wearing a brown blazer. She has her blue purse slung over her left shoulder. She is standing at a dark black kiosk, wearing black over-ear headphones. Her hands are on a raised, white surface in front of her, feeling a textured image of a face. The facial features are subtle but distinct. To the right of the surface is a small, white circular button. The background is slightly out of focus, showing a white brick wall and a window with a reflection.
Eleanor is standing with her back to the camera, facing a dark black kiosk. She has long, straight, light brown hair with blonde highlights at the end. She's wearing a brown blazer, a black dress, and black knee-high socks with black boots. A light blue purse hangs on her left side. She has large, black over-ear headphones on. Her hands are on a raised, white textured surface on the kiosk. To the left of her the supporting beam to the room is adorned with a representative braille graphic logo that also reads “TOUCH BEYOND VISION". The lighting in the room is a mix of purples and pinks.
Last night Eleanor received a VIP invite to Carveco’s Touch: Beyond Vision exhibition at the OXO Tower. Incredible to see how tactile 3D models & audio bring art to life for the visually impaired. Huge thanks to all at Carveco for making this happen! #Inclusion #ArtForAll #EleanorsVoice
A picture of Eleanor with her long straight, light brown hair that is blonde at the ends, sitting in front of a wooden fence. She is smiling, wearing a bright green t-shirt and a silver necklace with a pendant. On the left side of the image, the text "#EleanorsVoice" is written vertically in white letters. The background is outdoors, with weathered wooden planks behind her.
We’ve been quiet since May, keeping busy, happily distracted, but very anxious. Today, we got results we didn’t think we’d hear: Eleanor’s tumours are stable! Next scan in 6 months! More time always brings hope that kinder treatments will become available. #EleanorsVoice 💜✨
Earlier this month, Eleanor wrapped up delivering #AudioDescription for 3 access performances (2 public & 1 schools) of #BalletShoes at @nationaltheatre.org.uk, with Ess Grange assisting—once again making theatre magical, #Inclusive & #Accessible for young #VI audiences! #EleanorsVoice 🤩✨🎭
11 pictures of Eleanor on a repeating loop. The pictures, taken in January from each of the last 10 years. The first image is the hardest, a very young Eleanor lying in a hospital bed. The remaining pictures are all positive & happy.
Today marks exactly 10 years since Eleanor’s diagnosis. We refuse to let these brain tumours & her sight loss define her. Her strength, boldness, & fierce spirit shine brighter with each passing day. We celebrate every victory & fight every challenge. Always. #EleanorsVoice 💜✨
Eleanor is standing on a grassy area in front of a large sign. She is holding a white cane and is wearing a black coat with a fur-lined hood, blue jeans, and white trainers. She has a light blue crossbody bag. The sign behind her reads: "Welcome to NCW - New College Worcester” The sign has an eye logo next to the "NCW" text.
Eleanor is standing at a wooden podium, speaking into a microphone with a yellow foam cover. She is wearing a bright pink jumper, dark blue jeans, and white trainers. Her long blonde hair is down. Behind her, there is a table with audio equipment and cables. The room has light-colored wooden flooring and gray walls, with a window partially visible. A framed picture of a pink flower is hanging on the wall to the left.
A picture of the Keynote Speaker introduction text sent out to all attendees that is titled in bold… “Keynote Speaker: Eleanor Stollery”, and then reads “Eleanor Stollery is a remarkable 13-year-old advocate for braille literacy. Blind from a young age due to an optic pathway hypothalamic glioma, Eleanor has already made an extraordinary impact on both the arts and accessibility. In 2019, at just eight years old, Eleanor made her professional stage debut as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol at London's Old Vic Theatre, reprising the role in 2020 and 2021. She is also a talented voice actor, bringing the character Lark to life in the animated series Milo on Channel 5's Milkshake. Most recently, she was featured in ‘My Life: How I See It’, a CBBC documentary which followed her journey to audio describe a live show at the National Theatre. In February 2024, Eleanor became the first blind young person to deliver live audio description for a UK theatre performance. Collaborating with the National Theatre, she described a schools' performance of The Witches using a braille script and hands-free technology to operate the audio description console. As the keynote speaker for our World Braille Day Conference, Eleanor will share her unique perspective on the importance of braille and accessible technologies, telling us how she uses braille as a young blind student and actor.”
Born on 4th Jan 1809, #LouisBraille’s legacy is celebrated on #WorldBrailleDay. Today, Eleanor delivered the keynote speech @newcollegeworc.bsky.social for The Braillists Foundation, highlighting the vital role that #braille still plays in the modern world. #BrailleLiteracy #EleanorsVoice 🤩💜
The image shows Eleanor, a young girl with long blonde hair, smiling while sitting in a car. She is wearing a blue jumper and a white collared shirt. The background outside the car window is blurred, showing trees and a bright sky. In the top left corner, there is a BBC logo and the word "iPLAYER" in pink. At the bottom, there is a black banner with the text "CBBC MY LIFE" in colorful letters on the left. In the center, it says "How I See It" with representative braille dots underneath. On the right, there is a logo for Clover Films.
The wait is over! After 1.5 years in the making, Eleanor’s documentary ‘My Life: How I See It’ has aired on CBBC. We’d love to hear your thoughts - what did you take away from her story? Missed it or want Audio Description? Catch up now on BBC iPlayer! #HowISeeIt #eleanorsvoice 🤩✨
Eleanor is sitting cross-legged on her bed, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a blue jumpsuit. Behind her, the wall is decorated with a string of triangular flags like bunting that spell out "ELEANOR." There are fairy lights above the flags. On the bed beside her is her red toy “Doggy”. The text on the image includes: - "CBBC MY LIFE" in colorful letters on the left side. - The BBC logo and "iPLAYER" in pink on the right side. - At the bottom, there is a black bar with the text "How I See It" and some representative braille dots. Next to this text is the logo for Clover Films.
BIG MOMENT ALERT! 📺 On Tuesday 3rd December at 18:25, watch Eleanor star in “My Life: How I See It” on CBBC - her very own 30min documentary by Clover Films, sharing a glimpse of her life in an incredible way. Missed it? Catch up on BBC iPlayer. #HowISeeIt #eleanorsvoice 🤩✨
