Due to the overwhelming outreach to the Houston family, we are fundraising for Ellie! She is the sweetest 9-year-old that you have ever met. She is fierce, energetic, kind, and loving! Ellie got sick at the beginning of August, and doctors were unsure what was happening. Ellie lost all function in her body. She was unable to talk, move, or eat on her own. Ellie's parents were told these symptoms were likely irreversible. She was diagnosed with a rare condition called Neuromyelitis optica (NMO), which caused swelling in her brain and spinal cord. Ellie's progress to date is truly miraculous, but she will have life-long treatments to keep her healthy. We want to raise money for Ellie and her family, who are still in the hospital. The next step is in-patient rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins which means relocation to Baltimore, MD. Her mother is taking a leave of absence from work to be with her, and her father will be traveling back and forth from Richmond, VA, to Maryland along with her twin brother, Carson. The money will be used for medical bills, traveling, and any expenses that may come up as Ellie recovers. It will also be used for all future medical costs due to this prognosis.