Ella's Journey

Hi everyone, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I can't believe how much has happened since the last update and apologies for not posting here. Always try to keep Ella's Journey Facebook page updated, so hopefully most of you will have been reading that to see where we are up to!

Ella got her first (not perfect leg) the day before we flew to the UK for her big sisters wedding at the end of July. It has been lengthened 3 times since as she has been growing sooooo much since chemo finished. In fact after the Christmas break Matthias is going to start her 2nd leg! We are also commissioning her beach/swim leg as she desperately needs it- he has been putting us off having it built whilst Ella is growing so fast, but we feel so sorry for her when she has to hop everywhere, especially difficult when at pools like Hanmer and Jellie Park when she goes down the water slides but then has to hop back to the stairs, crawl up them to slide down again( never once complains though because she's having a blast!)

Once her growth spurt eases up a bit we will start looking at getting her running leg, which you have also donated towards. It's a balance between not wasting your precious money, but giving Ella a good quality of life.

Hope you like all the new photos, from her last chemo session, flying 10 days later to the UK for Claire's wedding, 11th birthday NOT spent in hospital on chemo, Christmas this year NOT ending up in hospital, back to school for a very excited Ella in Sept, swimming 2-3 times a week and just having lots of FUN!!!

First CT chest and leg X-rays since chemo finished were all clear. Next ones are due on 19th Jan, then 3monthly for 2 yrs, 6monthly for further 3yrs.

This Givealittle page closes on the 14th Feb, we cannot believe how much has been raised, from NZ and the U.K. It will keep a supply of special legs going for a good while, which we are so thankful for. You are amazing, special, generous people to think of Ella.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy 2015.

Love from the Benn family