Every Penny Counts- Help for Ellie's Major Surgery

Hurray! We are so happy you made it to our page!

Eliana is a true spina bifida warrior with 10 surgeries in her 10 years & she hasn’t let it stop her! Her upcoming 11th surgery (for scoliosis) is a doozy. It will take 3 surgeons and Elianna will gain a whole foot! She starts a prolonged hospital stay on Feb 19th for 6-8 weeks of halo traction to prepare her spine….and that’s before the extensive surgery even starts! The surgery is planned for the beginning of April with a lengthy recovery.

The Toll

Doctors estimate a three-month hospitalization, which will take a great toll on her and her entire family. And while this beautiful child has undergone many surgeries in her life, this is by far the longest hospitalization for her.

During this time both her parents, Brandon and Sandra, will have a significant reduction to their income in order to be able to be there for Eliana in the hospital. You can imagine the impact that will have on their ability to pay monthly bills (mortgage, car payments, utilities, etc.) and to provide for their other two children. On top of that, there will be additional expenses of gas, parking, and paying for food while their lives are split between the hospital and home.

Brandon and Sandra have always been the ones to lend a helping hand. Now with Eliana’s 11th surgery, they really need your help. Her grandma Brenda rallied her aunts (for technical support) to create this page and here we are on GoFundMe! If we reach our goal we will be able to help alleviate the income gap and cover some of the additional expenses for the Burtner family.

Every Penny Counts!

A donation of $20 or more would be such a tremendous blessing to help the family. Anything you can spare helps ease the financial stress so that Brandon and Sandra can focus on supporting Eliana through this hospitalization and do what they do best - raising a beautiful family full of love, light, and faith.

Please spread the word and share this link so you can help us reach our goal.

The family is also asking for prayers for them, as well as wisdom for the three surgeons and all the doctors and nurses who will be meeting Eliana’s medical needs.

At some point, we (2 Aunts and a Grandma) will work with the family to find a way to share messages, images, videos etc. of encouragement for Ellie during her stay. We will share that in an update here as well as on the various social media platforms (so stay tuned).

All that Sass!

Some of you know Eliana well. If not, let us introduce you to this strong, funny, “spunky with a splash of sass,” miracle child!

“This photo was taken after Eliana's first surgery which took place only 12 hours after she was born. This surgery was to close up her back, she has the most severe form of spina bifida myelomeningocele. I will never forget praying at her little isolet in pre-op dedicating her life to God and praying that her little 5lbs body would make it through the surgery. We had already witnessed our first miracle, we heard her cry, she survived her birth which the neonatalogists didn't think would happen. We trusted God had big plans for this little lady and we watched her and our hearts wheel away into the operating room. It does not get easier, every surgery we spend time at her bedside in prayer lifting her up to the great physician and trusting in the Lord who promises to continue the good work He started in all of us. The average number of surgeries by age 18 for someone with spina bifida is 8, Eliana has had 10 and will be going through number 11 soon and will be 11 years old in March. We all know she is above average.“ - Sandra Burtner, Eliana’s mom

After all she has been through, Eliana never lets anything slow her down. Track and field, basketball, rock climbing, dance, hockey, sledding, empire games, wheeling the runway in a fashion show…. she does it all. Eliana is always the one who will make you laugh. Her spirit will brighten your day and warm your heart. She leaves everyone with a smile. Even strangers she meets along the way.

The Unsung Heros

Everyone who knows Eliana from her doctors and nurses to her teachers and classmates, family and friends has been touched by her remarkable spirit - and also by the love and support of her amazing parents. Brandon and Sandra have helped so many of their friends and family in times of need and are always willing to do what they can. Now it’s time for them to be on the receiving end of that kind of warmth and generosity.

Thank You for your support and God bless you!

Aunt Carie Guyah, Aunt Christy Burtner, Grandma Brenda Burtner