Meet Our Champions

Born at just 27 weeks, Ella was diagnosed with fetal growth restriction, a condition in which the unborn baby is not growing at a normal rate. When she was two weeks old, she suffered a brain bleed and was subsequently diagnosed with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), a softening of brain tissue due to a brain bleed. PVL has no cure and affects the nerve cells that control motor movements. Ella spent her first four months of life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), when she finally came home from the hospital, she continued to receive therapy services to help her stay strong and thrive. Ella was referred to a specialist at St. Louis Children's who treats children with cerebral palsy. At two years old, Ella was approved for selective dorsal rhizotomy, a minimally invasive spinal surgery that can help children with cerebral palsy walk independently. While recovering from surgery, Ella was able to enjoy many activities at the hospital that helped her still feel like a kid, like time in the playroom as well as visits from therapy dogs. Now, 11 years old Ella continues to receive weekly physical, speech, and occupational therapies. She loves being a big sister to her brother Jake, school, the color pink, and dancing.