"Ally, you're sick but we don’t know why."

When I was 13, I was diagnosed with an unknown autoimmune disease with severe arthritis in all my joints as a side effect. Simple movements would cause immense pain and only grew worse as I grew up. I spent a lot of time at The Children’s Hospitals and Clinics – Minneapolis.

During the years that followed, I found myself on many different drug treatment plans, including chemotherapy to stop my immune system from attacking itself. I took many pills a day and gave myself three injections of chemotherapy each week. I had blood work every other month and had frequent appointments at Children’s. I was on this treatment plan until June 2015, at which time I was in a very short remission.

My symptoms returned with a vengeance in October 2015. By April 2016, I had no choice but to resume chemotherapy to prevent permanent damage to my joints. I elected the oral method versus injection this time, thinking it would be easier to manage while away at college. Though mentally it is easier to administer, the added intensity of the nausea had physically been a challenge. In March 2017 I entered full medicinal remission, although the daily chronic pain was still a challenge, the threat of permanent damage had ceased.

Now in 2023, I have become a patient at Mayo Clinic to take my diagnosis journey to the next level. After many different tests, we still don’t have any answers but we are a step closer. My doctors believe I am suffering from Lupus or an Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder. I have resumed treatment for Lupus to help with pain management, and for now we continue testing every 6 months to see if anything new can help lead us to a full diagnosis.

During my visits to Children’s, I came face to face with other sick kids, some in worse shape than me - kids that were also scared and in pain. Because of those interactions, and the perspective it brought to my own situation, I decided to face my personal adversity in yet another way, using my sewing machine. Thus, at 15, the concept of Allyhoo was born – to provide comfort, hope and a diversion from pain.

Since then, Allyhoo continues to provide hope and happiness to children all around. The love an Allyhoo brings puts a smile on a child’s face and reminds them that people DO care. I care! For every Allyhoo order received, one goes to the customer and an identical twin is donated to kids in hospitals in the donor’s name.