Fifty years before Ellie was born, a revolution began in neonatal care that has preserved the physical and cognitive health of thousands of babies. In 1963, states began to test newborns for PKU, an inherited metabolic disorder that affects one in every 15,000 babies born in the United States. This change would one day protect Ellie’s quality of life.
Today, 10-year-old Ellie can be found working hard on her schoolwork, perfecting her handstand, and singing karaoke with her sisters. She celebrates life in all circumstances—her mom, Mackenzie, describes Ellie as someone who sees everything from “the sunny side.”
Watch now to learn more about PKU and to see how Ellie is flourishing despite her condition.
- “Ellie has taught me to stop and smell the roses. I think we could all learn from Ellie that there is always something beautiful to explore and recognize.”MackenzieEllie's mom
- “What I would tell someone else who is going through PKU is, ‘Hey, I have PKU too. I'm going through what you are going through. It's okay to be different.'”Ellie
Help provide hope, healing and world-class health care to patients like Ellie today.
