It was only a small gesture, but one that nine-year-old Taleah Elkington will never forget. 

In the wake of a nightmarish six months for the Elkington family, St Kilda vice-captain Seb Ross picked Taleah up from her wheelchair and ran through the banner with the young Saints fan in his arms. 

For Taleah, it was one of the happiest moments she’s had since receiving a life-changing diagnosis just six months ago. 

She was told she had osteosarcoma – an aggressive form of bone cancer – which resulted in her right leg being amputated. 

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Taleah is in the final stages of chemotherapy to fight off the cancer, and the Saints family – along with Challenge – united to give one of their own a truly memorable day. 

It started at RSEA Park, where Saints full-back Nathan Brown was on hand to meet Taleah and her family and take them on a guided personal tour through the new Moorabbin facilities. 

A father to two girls himself, Brown was moved by Taleah’s story, giving up his Sunday morning to make sure she had an unforgettable experience. 

“What we go through day-to-day is nothing compared to what little Taleah’s going through,” Brown told saints.com.au. 

“She’s going through a very tough time in her life, but you wouldn’t know about it. Her spirit was unbelievable. 

“She’s got a heart of gold and resilience, and the strength of a whole team put together. It’s the little things that we can do, but to see her go through the banner in Seb’s arms, it was a really special moment for the club and for the footy community in general.” 

When they heard of Taleah’s situation, Moorabbin-based helicopter tour agency Microflite didn’t hesitate to offer her entire family a surprise helicopter flight to the game. 

“Microflite were terrific, and to buzz around the city was something we’ve never seen before,” Ben Elkington (Taleah’s father) said. 

“We’ve never been in a helicopter that size before, it was just a magic buzz for the whole family.” 

But by far the most special moment of the day for Ben was to see his daughter carried through the banner by Ross, side by side with her heroes. 

“To have Taleah here and smile … to get that smile on her face is gold. It’s priceless.”