- We have received countless tweets, emails, and calls
about our next guest.
She is a fearless 17-year-old battling brain cancer.
I wanted to meet her, so Courtney Wagner, come on down.
- Wow. - Hey, Courtney.
- Hi. - How you doing?
- I'm doing very well. - Yeah.
- I'm here at your show, so I'm--
- I know, you thought you were just coming to the show.
It must feel really, really good,
because you had so many people campaigning.
We started seeing all these hashtags
and all these people were writing signs
and wanting you to be on the show.
That must make you feel good.
- Yeah, it was a little surprising
to see, like, the thousands of people that liked
my mom's page that she created, and it's--
they were all just amazing, trying to get me here.
And they did it, and--
- Yeah, they did it. We saw it.
- Yeah. [cheers and applause]
[squeals] I can't believe I'm here.
[laughs]
- Well, I guess it's nice,
'cause it means a lot to you 'cause you're a big fan.
You watch the show. - I am a huge fan.
- Yeah. - [laughs]
- I know that you read my book when you're in the hospital.
- I've read three of them, yeah.
- You've read all my books. Well, thank you so much.
And you have all my swag. You're wearing my stuff.
My socks. - Yeah.
[laughter]
- My--hopefully you have my underwear.
I'll give you whatever you want now that you're here.
- Aw.
- So you were diagnosed with cancer four years ago?
- Yep, just about. 3 1/2, 4, yeah.
- Just out of nowhere,
you just all of a sudden got the diagnosis?
- Yeah, it was weird.
I was just having headaches, and--
with the brain cancer that I have, the type,
you're supposed to have, like, seizures and everything,
but I didn't, so it was very unusual.
- Right.
And at the time, four years ago, how long did they give you?
- My prognosis was 18 months. - Right.
And four years later, here you are, smiling right here.
[cheers and applause]
I love that I make you happy and that I make you smile,
'cause I do think that counts for a lot of things.
I think that helps people feel good in many, many ways.
- Absolutely.
- And so you're-- what did you say to your doctors
when they said-- 'cause you used to
play soccer and everything, right?
- Yeah, I still do play-- well, at least I try.
But I told my doctors I didn't want cancer to define who I am,
and I said, "You better fix me,
"because I'm not-- I'm not gonna go through this."
And I wanted to be a normal kid like everybody else.
I didn't want to be known as the cancer--
like, Courtney, who has cancer.
So I told them, "You better fix me
'cause I need to go play soccer and do whatever else I want."
- It's that attitude that's gotten you here today right now.
[cheers and applause]
So I mean--
I don't think that that event can change you
and you become a different person.
You clearly have been this person all along.
But you say that cancer brings the best out--
why do you say that cancer brought the best out of you?
- I feel like it's made me a stronger person,
and you have definitely helped through that.
And with--my community has stuck with me
through this whole time and family and friends.
It's just been amazing how much people care about me
and wanted to help me in any way possible.
- Well, love is-- it certainly does show you
how many people love you, and love is very healing obviously.
- Yep.
- I know your mom has stayed--
she's staying home and taking off work
because she has to support you.
There's a lot of medical bills.
Our friends at Shutterfly want to help.
Their vision is to make the world a better place
by helping people share life's joy,
and they agreed with me
that you're making the world a better place,
so they want to give you a check for $15,000.
[cheers and applause]
All right? - Oh, my God.
- Your favorite soccer team
is the women's U.S. soccer team, right?
- Yeah. - That's your favorite sport.
They wanted to send you a message, so let's look.
- Hey, Courtney.
We wish we could be there with you.
We're in Portugal training for a tournament.
We know your story and think you are amazing.
Court, your strength and your fighting spirit
inspires us.
Any team could use someone like you.
Thanks, Ellen, so much for having Courtney on your show.
We can't wait to see you, Courtney.
Keep fighting, buddy.
[cheers and applause]
- Oh, that's so cool.
- Isn't that cool?
So they wanted to make you an honorary member,
so they sent you this, so you have--
- Oh, my-- [cheers and applause]
[gasps] That is so cool.
- I know. Isn't that amazing? - [squeals]
- And they want you and your family
to be a special guest at one of their games.
- [gasps]
- And so they're giving you tickets
and all their swag and anything--
- Oh, my God.
[cheers and applause]
Oh, my gosh, this is so cool.
- I know. Cool stuff.
- Oh, my gosh.
I told my mom I wanted this ball for my birthday.
- Oh, well, you have the-- you have anything you want.
And by the way, I want you to go shopping
in the Ellen shop before you leave.
Anything you want, get as much as you want.
- Oh! - It's all on me, okay?
- Oh, thank you. - You get anything you want.
- All right. [cheers and applause]