LET’S COME TOGETHER FOR ELLA

Ella Colby is a wonderful 13 year old dancer from New York City, an original student and competition team member at Downtown Dance Factory and a freshman dance major at the prestigious LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts.   Over the summer, she was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, so her community and her dance family are banding together to support her as she faces the challenges ahead. 

Aplastic anemia means that Ella's body does not produce enough blood cells or platelets, and that only 10% of her bone marrow is functioning, resulting in her having no natural immunity.  She needs an urgent bone marrow transplant, and the good news is, a donor has been found. Her transplant is scheduled for mid-November at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.  The transplant and ensuing treatment will require Ella to be in absolute isolation for 3 months in Philadelphia, with her parents moving to Philadelphia for the duration, which will be followed by another 3 months in isolation for Ella at home in Tribeca.  Ella hopes to return to school and dance next May.

To let her know how much we care about her, we’re putting together a number of events, including raising money for Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, where Ella's family will be staying over the course of the treatment.  We are working with the administration to target this donation, in Ella's name, to fund a dance/arts program for kids like Ella, as well as others living with permanent disabilities who are based at the facility while they are treated in the nearby children's hospital.

So let's come together and show Ella that she has a huge supportive community and dance family to return to when she fully recovers.  We want her healthy and back on stage in the Downtown Dance factory 2019 10-Year Anniversary recital!