(Sleepy Eye, MN) – May 28, 2022 — Multiple communities in Southern Minnesota have been united to help raise funds for the daughter of Caleb & Katie Siefkes. 10-month-old Ellanor was hospitalized in June of 2020. After 6 months of ongoing testing and multiple infections, Children’s Hospital’s hematology department determined that she had a genetic mutation causing low neutrophil counts and diagnosed her with ELANE mutation Severe Congenital Neutropenia.
For the next year Ella was prescribed medication to help her bone marrow grow blood cells. It was determined that a Bone Marrow Transplant was the only other course of action to improve and sustain Ella’s quality of life.
Around Ellanor’s 2nd birthday, Children’s Hospital referred her to the U of MN BMT program. Testing of Ellanor’s five siblings revealed that she had a fully matched donor available in her brother, Josiah, and it was decided to move forward with BMT. Ellanor and Katie moved to a Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis in early November 2021 and began the transplant process at the Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital.
This was the beginning of a 4-5 month process where Ella needed to be in or near the hospital the entire time. The transplant went well. Ella is recovering well, and the new blood counts that are coming in are encouraging. Recovery will take a while, but the prognosis for her is good with the new bone marrow to produce the cells she needs.
Ellanor has been able to return home and so far the bone marrow transplant is working. She has begun adjusting to her life away from the hospital, spending time with her family and is just starting to take short trips outside her home to places with small groups of people.
Weelborg Chevrolet in New Ulm and Weelborg Ford in Redwood Falls each made a generous donation of $1,000 to the Siefkes family’s Knights of Columbus Teddy Bear Drive for Ellanor Siefkes totaling $2,000!
The Sleepy Eye Servicemen’s Club made a generous donation of $2,500 from their Charitable Gambling to the Siefkes family, the Knights of Columbus Teddy Bear Drive for Ellanor Siefkes and the purchase of 100 teddy bears!
What you can do
The Knights of Columbus have organized a fund raiser. You can purchase a Teddy Bear for $20 with proceeds helping Ellanor. Or you can simply give online. Link is here. If you’d prefer to help in person, several businesses have agreed to help raise money for medical expenses related to Ellanor’s bone marrow transplant by selling Teddy Bears. Stop by any of these businesses to buy your bear OR make a donation. These local businesses include:
COMFREY
Comfrey Bar and Grill
Comfrey C Store
Triumph State Bank
COURTLAND
The Crow Bar and Grill
DARFUR
Triumph State Bank
Darfur Lounge
ESSIG
Carl’s Corner
LAKE CRYSTAL
MinnStar Bank
COBDEN
Ridin’ High Saloon
HUTCHINSON
SouthPoint Financial Credit Union
Saint Anastasia Catholic Church
MANKATO
MinnStar Bank
STAR Group NAPA Auto Parts Stores
NORTH MANKATO
SouthPoint Financial Credit Union
NEW ULM
Alliance Bank
Bank Midwest
Chuck Spaeth Ford
Citizens Bank Minnesota
George’s Fine Steaks and Spirits
Frandsen Bank & Trust
Jensen Motors
Joe’s Camper Sales
STAR Group NAPA Auto Parts Stores
Órale Authentic Mexican Tacos & More
Weelborg Chevrolet
SouthPoint Financial Credit Union
REDWOOD FALLS
Weelborg Ford
St. JAMES
STAR Group NAPA Auto Parts Stores
The Collage
SLEEPY EYE
Ace Hardware
Americana Community Bank
Calvary Baptist Church
Chuck Spaeth Ford
Expressway
First Security Bank
Miller Sellner
STAR Group NAPA Auto Parts Stores
Powerhouse Nutrition
Randy’s Family Drug
Schutz Family Foods
Serendipity Boutique
Sleepy Eye Brewing Co.
Sleepy Eye Coffee Co.
Sleepy Eye Golf Course
SouthPoint Financial Credit Union
Servicemen’s Club
SPRINGFIELD
Clay’s Drive-In Liquors
Farmers and Merchants Bank
Massage & Bodywork by Deb Wahl
Outlaws Bar and Grill
SouthPoint Financial Credit Union
Springfield Advance-Press
BUFFALO LAKE
Main Street Market of BL
J&L Repair
Buffalo Lake Insurance Agency
Central Region Coop
CenBank
K&S Millwrights Inc.
Zion Lutheran Church
STEWART
CorTrust Bank
Cactus Jack’s II
Saint Boniface Catholic Church
More to the story
You can follow this story as it develops and meet the Siekes family as they share their journey with KEYC’s Good Morning, Click Here.
