Eilonwy (Elly) is a delightful 14-year-old who lights up every room she enters. Her name, from Lloyd Alexander’s The Prydain Chronicles, means “bringer of light,” and those who know her say that is exactly who she is. She has multiple special needs, including challenges with speech, executive function, sensory processing, and interoception, and she is autistic.

She had just started high school when everything changed.

After only a few weeks in her high school journey, Elly began experiencing intense, involuntary muscle contractions known as "generalized dystonia". Her body and face contort, twist, and lock up to varying degrees. These episodes can happen every few seconds to every few minutes. Some are brief nuisances; others are painful, exhausting, and protracted. At their worst, she holds her breath until her body forces her to breathe again, or she cries out in pain. She cannot reliably release herself from the more intense episodes, which can put her in physical peril. She needs constant supervision. Sleep is often elusive or fleeting once it comes, creating a downward spiral for Elly and for her parents.

She has undergone extensive testing at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Mayo Clinic. So far, those tests have ruled out cancers, tumors, brain lesions, infections, nutritional issues, and other life-threatening structural or biological causes. The diagnosis is Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Her medical team suspects stress triggered the onset—something that can be more common in autistic individuals. Her family continues consulting specialists across disciplines, searching for ways to reduce the intensity of the symptoms and restore some normalcy to her life and theirs.

At the same time, the family is facing severe financial strain. Elly’s father (my brother) was laid off from his software developer role and has been unable to secure new work. Unemployment benefits are running out. Her mother, Rebecca, is working, but in the high cost of living in the Redmond area, her income covers only a fraction of the family’s monthly needs while they manage Elly’s intensive care. Their young son, Joshua, is also part of a household that is stretched thin on every front.

Support from this fundraiser will help with practical needs during this intensive period: easy meals so the family can focus on Elly’s care, medical costs and ongoing specialist and therapy expenses, and general household stability. The goal is to give them breathing room so they can prioritize Elly’s care, pursue treatment options, and work toward regaining stability.

Please join me in helping my brother's family through an extremely heavy season. Every donation and every share makes a real difference.

If you’re able, please consider becoming a monthly supporter of Elly and her family. Their needs extend beyond a single moment, and ongoing support—even a small amount each month—can help provide consistency and stability as they navigate Elly’s care and work toward a more secure future. Whether you’re able to give monthly, make a one-time donation, or share Elly’s story with others, you’ll be helping lighten the load for a family that is carrying so much. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Thank you for reading Elly’s story and for any support you can offer.