Ellie’s Dream to Dance
Our daughter Ellie Boyhan is 3 years old from Carrigaline, Co. Cork.
She is the most wonderful, friendly, loving
little girl with a wicked sense of humour, the biggest heart and a love for life. She is as bright as a button and dreams of being a ballerina princess when she grows up...but Ellie cannot stand or walk independently. Ellie is in constant discomfort and pain.
We only have 10 weeks to raise the funds needed to help Ellie to walk and dance.... we desperately need your support.
Please help us to make her dreams come true.
Our beautiful Ellie was born with Cerebral Palsy which mainly affects her legs. Ellie cannot stand or walk independently relying on us to help her stand and her “magic carriage” (walker) to walk limited distances. She even finds it difficult to sit. Everyday simple activities that children do naturally are impossible for our little girl.
Ellie is very determined, who works so hard everyday to get stronger, more mobile and gain some independence. Each day she has to complete physiotherapy and occupational therapy. She has to endure Botox injections into her muscles and serial casting on her legs... she wears splints (which she calls her magic shoes!) to help with the spasticity and give her legs support.
On Friday, to our great surprise (and shock!) we received fantastic news that Ellie has been accepted by a world renowned surgeon Dr. T. S. Park to go to St Louis Children's Hospital in the U.S. for life changing surgery called SDR (Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy). Dr Parks believes that with this surgery, along with three years of intensive post operative therapy, and hard work, Ellie will walk unassisted and live life pain free.
The sooner Ellie receives the surgery before
the age of 5 the better the prognosis for her.
We cannot believe that we been given a date
of 22nd September 2020! Sooner than we
could ever imagined or hoped for! We must
pay for the surgery, postoperative therapy and equipment in advance and will have to privately fund three years of private intensive therapy both at home and abroad. All funds raised will be placed in a designated bank account for Ellie and proceeds will be used to fund SDR surgery, equipment, travel, accommodation, rehab and private physiotherapy which will be needed for three years post SDR.
SDR surgery is not available in Ireland and is not funded by the HSE. Supports in Ireland are difficult to access and we have experienced so many delays in accessing essential equipment... we are still waiting for a wheelchair.
We know these are challenging times for everyone but we would be eternally grateful if you could help us in anyway that you can.
By simply sharing our cause you will be helping Ellie so much.
Thanking you all so much,
Ellie, John, Amy & Eve
#TEAMELLIE
#ELLIESDREAMTODANCE
