A local family have received £500 from the Rotary Club of Midsomer Norton and Radstock to help pay for treatment for a local teenager who has suffered from years of chronic ill health.

Ellie is fifteen-years-old and had to leave her Midsomer Norton school permanently in December 2019 due to severe social anxiety and panic attacks.

Ellie has had on and off mental health problems since she was ten-years-old, including general anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts, social anxiety and depression. She was put on an

anti-depressant as a last resort, but overnight symptoms

developed such as severe motor and verbal tics, severe rage and pressure in her head.

It was later thought Ellie had Paediatric Auto-immune Neuropsychiatric Disorder (PANDAS) associated with Streptococcal and she was put on a course of antibiotics but the symptoms did not change. Ellie was sent for an MRI, various blood tests, and an EEG with nothing diagnosed. Over eighteen months Ellie suffered with pains in different areas of her body especially her legs, a running low-grade fever, a fast heart rate, fatigue, severe nausea, constant swollen lymph nodes, and many other

ailments.

Further symptoms developed over time such as aggression and separation anxiety and she hasn’t been able to leave her home in over four months. She also cannot be left unattended due to her tics which can make her harm herself and others. Ellie underwent a private consultation and blood tests at The Children’s e-Hospital where they specialise in PANDAS. However, when test results came back they showed nothing. Further private testing has shown that Ellie has seventeen different food intolerances and has chronic Lyme’s disease and Bartonella. She also has chronic immune suppression which blocks antibodies and makes her susceptible to illness.

Ellie is about to start treatment with a clinic in Cheddar. There is also the option of private infectious disease clinics in Poland and Ireland that have the capability to deal with these diseases through intense therapy, but they have long waiting lists, and the pandemic makes travel difficult plus Ellie is too unwell to travel.

Funds need to be raised as quickly as possible as Ellie’s Mum has reached the extent of her paid sick-leave, and her father is furloughed. Their savings have dwindled due to the numerous tests which have amounted to around £3,500 and treatment for Lyme’s disease and Bartonella can take up to two years with spiralling costs.

Ellie’s Mum says: "“We are desperate to help our daughter and she is yearning for a normal life. She just desperately wants to be independent again. This illness has disabled her and she is unable to do anything herself mainly due to her severe and constant tics, which obviously cause a lot of distress.

"She just feels lonely and lost. If she can get treatment eventually, all her neurological, psychiatric and physical symptoms will subside and she can go back to being an independent and happy teenager. 

"I can no longer work, as Ellie needs to be accompanied at all times and can’t even sleep alone. Ellie wants to go to college but her illness is preventing her and this will impact her further mentally as she is already so isolated and has no life.” 

A spokesperson for Rotary said: “Ellie has suffered an agonising ordeal and upon hearing her story The Rotary Club of Midsomer Norton & Radstock made a £500 contribution. As we are unable to host public fundraising events at this time, please communally help by donating to: https://uk.gofundme.com/f/cure-ellies-illness