Hayden Colorado – The Hayden Congregational Church hosted a soup dinner to benefit 20 month old Ella Mosciaro. Little Ella, or “Ellabeans” as her parents call her, is suffering from focal cortical dysplasia. This congenital disorder causes seizures that are hard to treat. The Mosciaro’s church arranged the dinner to help raise funds to defer the expense of Ella’s treatments and the cost of driving to Denver to receive the treatments that little Ella needs so much.

Cindy Mosciaro said that the seizures started back in July, occurring every other week at the beginning. However, last week she suffured two seizures. That was the first time they had come so close together, Ellas parents are obviously concerned! The family is hopeful that the treatment she’s undergoing will cause the seizures caused by the disorder to subside.

Since she was diagnosed at Children’s Hospital in Denver, Ella has been taking medication to help fight the seizures. Mrs. Mosciaro said that the drug makes Ella drowsy, but it hasn’t slowed her down too much. “She runs and plays and fights with her brother and other kids…we just have to be careful with her…” Her parents remain optimistic though, “Just because she has this diagnosis she won’t necessarily have the symptoms other children have had… it’s really scary.”

As could be imagined, this disorder can cause delays in a childs development. Physical therapy is suggested for children that suffer from physical weakness brought on by the dysplasia and educational therapy for developmental delays. No complete treatment is available at this time and in some cases, brain surgery is required to lessen the seizures.

The family said the support they’ve received from family, friends and the community has been phenomenal, “I am totally blown away at how this community rallies around each other…”

You can help too!

Individuals that would like to help can donate to an account in Ella’s name at the First National Bank of the Rockies in Hayden. For more details on how to contribute, contact the bank at: 970-276-3731.

Want to find out how Ella is doing ?

Go to http://www.carepages.com, an organization that provides free patient websites for everyone coping with illness so they can share their story, meet others and get support. Register for a free account and then search “Ellabeans” to get an up to date report on her progress.