Ella was diagnosed aged 4 as a Manifesting Carrier of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive muscle-wasting condition which currently has no cure.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is often only associated with people assigned male at birth, as it is caused by a mutation on a gene located on X chromosomes and so in people with XY chromosomes there is no other functioning gene to compensate. Though it affects the lives of many more people who live with the condition.

People assigned female at birth are often only considered carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, even though (while rare) they can also have Duchenne when the mutation is present on both their X chromosomes. In these cases, they are commonly identified as a ‘manifesting carrier’.

Net proceeds from #Team Ella will be split 80% for research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy and 20% for Ella’s future welfare.