Having waited until after her GCSE's finished Ella had surgery last July. After two weeks in hospital things had been improving steadily and she was ready and excited for the start of 6th form when she suddenly started to feel unwell.  

On the 31st of August we took Ella to A & E.  On the day she was due to start 6th form she instead went to theatre for emergency but what should have been straight forward surgery.  Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine she would not go back to the ward but would instead end up in intensive care ventilated and asleep with her abdomen open until they were able to operate again and close her up.  9 long days later she they were able to successfully do this and she spent a total of two and half weeks on intensive care before moving onto a ward and finally came after 6 weeks.  Ella has had to take this year out of school and will start 6th form in September 2019.  She has had a long and at times difficult road to recovery but is now doing well.  

This was a very frightening and bewildering time for Ruth.  The girls are very close and for months there was no normality in the Willard house.  Ella was very unwell, withdrawn and so weak she could barely stand  when she first came home and to Ruth it felt as though they were strangers.  Despite this Ruth has been beside Ella every step of the way from talking to her and combing her hair when she was sedated on ICU to just sitting with her and cuddling her when she was upset when she came home.  Their bond is now stronger than ever.  

The girls both wanted to do something to say thank you to Stepping Hill for the incredible care they have given Ella particularly on this occasion but also over the preceding years.  

As you all know, to say Ella has never been athletic would be an understatement!  Despite this as part of her recovery she has decided to set herself the challenge of running the  Manchester 10k  to raise some money for the hospital.  Ruth was gutted to discover that she will be 2 months too young to run with her and has instead set herself the challenge of running as far as she can over the next 3 months (her aim is at least 150k).  They are training together and I am sure a little competitiveness will sneak in at some point! 

All money raised will be split between ICU and Treehouse (childrens unit) at Stepping Hill Hospital to whom we are eternally grateful for the care and support they have given Ella 

Thank you

Ella, Ruth, Anna and Paul

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