Help Ellie Get Back on Her Feet :)

Help Me Get Back on My Feet – Raising Funds for an ExoSym Brace

If you know me personally, you’ve probably seen me in and out of a walking boot over the years. I broke my foot while ice skating back in 2015, and unfortunately, it never healed the way it should have. A hole developed in the bone, and in 2021, I had a surgery called a subchondroplasty, where they filled that space with bone cement. For a while, things got better — I even ran a half marathon in May 2024 and felt like I was finally on the other side of it.

I started training for another race that summer and the pain came back — worse than before. After months of testing, I was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, a rare condition where the navicular bone starts to die due to a lack of blood flow. The necrosis (death) has caused fracture lines in the bone and arthritis in the surrounding joints, causing ongoing degeneration.

If you know me, you also know I’m someone who loves to stay active. I’ve done CrossFit for over three years and really enjoy volleyball, hiking, and running — anything that keeps me moving. For the past year, I haven't been able to walk without pain, and running, jumping, and hiking have been completely off the table.

The only surgical option I’ve been offered is a foot fusion. This would cause me to lose about 70% of the mobility I now have in my foot. This is something I really want to avoid if there’s another way.

My doctor suggested looking into the ExoSym brace. It’s a custom-made orthotic and prosthetic hybrid brace that supports the foot and leg by redistributing weight and offloading pressure from damaged areas. It’s helped a lot of people with similar issues walk pain-free again and live active lives — and I believe it could do the same for me.

The cost of the brace, along with fittings, evaluations, and adjustments, is around $9,455. Unfortunately, it’s not covered by insurance, and on top of that, it’s only available through a specialty clinic in Gig Harbor, Washington. I’m also raising funds to help cover travel, lodging, and other related expenses for that trip. This will consist of 7-8 days of training times and fittings.

On top of all of this, I’m in a season of life where I have a lot of financial obligations — I’m planning a wedding and buying a house, which I am so thankful for God’s provision in these things, but it has stretched my budget pretty thin. So, this brace is something I just wouldn’t be able to afford on my own right now.

If you’re able to donate, pray, or share this page, I’d be so grateful! It is hard for me to ask for help and to recognize I am pretty broken, but I am so thankful for all your love and support.

Thank you so much for reading and being part of this.

Here is a video of the brace:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlqel7udvEI