Ellie June's Medical Expenses

Hi, my name is Amanda and I'm fundraising for my childhood best friend Shawna, her husband Ben and their baby girl Ellie June.

Shawna and Ben Bodie gave birth to their beautiful baby girl, Ellie June Bodie on May 23, 2023. On July 17, 2023, Ellie began experiencing high fevers (over 103), fussiness, pale skin, rash, and red eyes. She was taken to Columbus Children’s Hospital, where, for 8 days, multiple physicians conducted tests and were unable to diagnose Ellie with anything other than a “fever.” She was released on July 25th without a diagnosis.

Two days after her release, on July 27th, Ellie began experiencing fevers and pale skin again and was taken to her pediatrician. Her pediatrician noted that Ellie’s hemoglobin was low, and Ellie was taken again to Children’s Hospital.

Upon re-admission to the hospital, the team of doctors discovered that Ellie was in heart failure. She was taken to the Cardiac ICU and was intubated. Shawna and Ben were told that if Ellie had not been admitted to the hospital, she likely would have died within days. She was given a diagnosis of Kawasaki’s disease, which caused coronary artery issues and leaking heart valves.

Since being in the hospital, Ellie has been receiving multiple medications via IV, including pain medication, medication for her heart, and antibiotics for a staph infection that occurred in her right leg arterial line. This infection resulted in a blood clot, and the infection also spread to her heart, resulting in endocarditis.

As of today, Ellie’s heart is improving and she is breathing on her own. The clot is gone and there are small improvements in the endocarditis condition. However, the Bodies have a long journey ahead of them. Ellie will be in the hospital for at least a few more weeks, but she will require long-term treatment and visits from home health for at-home treatments. Shawna and Ben have both missed time from work to be by Ellie’s side.

Ellie’s medical bills are increasing every day due to her illness and ongoing medical care. Shawna and Ben want nothing more than to bring Ellie home and become reunited with their boys, Easton and Henley.

While Shawna and Ben have the dedicated support of family and friends, they would really appreciate any donations to chip away at these medical expenses. When Ellie is released, they want to be able to focus on their family instead of the stress of paying off medical debt.

Thank you so much <3