St. Jude poster girl, 11, dies of cancer at Virginia Beach home
By JON FRANK, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 14, 2001 VIRGINIA BEACH -- She appeared in a movie, was featured on a poster and helped raise money for several national charities. In less than 12 years of living, Suzanne Pavlat did things that most people only dream of accomplishing. But neuroblastoma, an incurable cancer of the nerves that Suzanne battled for most of her life, on Sunday finally claimed the 11-year-old graduate of Thoroughgood Elementary School. She died at her home in Virginia Beach. Suzie, as she was called by her parents, tried every kind of treatment to overcome the cancer. She received almost 50 rounds of chemotherapy. She also received a bone marrow transplant and gene therapy. Twice the disease went into remission. Part of her treatment was at the famed St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Her connection to the hospital included an appearance in the St. Jude movie ``A Time to Live.'' Suzie was first diagnosed with the disease when she was just 3 1/2 . Suzie helped raise money for St. Jude by appearing on a poster that advertised the Bruce Rader/St. Jude Golf Tournament. She also helped raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis.
