Diane Ellis

Diane Ellis is a 66-year-old award-winning music teacher, jazz educator, saxophonist and internationally known performer who suffered a hemorrhagic stroke on Friday, April 15, 2016 during a live performance for the Jazz Institute of Chicago. She is bedridden and paralyzed on her left side.

Diane taught music to all grade levels at Dixon Elementary School in Chatham (where she also lives) for 23 years. She mentored many young people who have gone on to professional careers in many areas including music production, music performance and teaching. She comes from a musical family dynasty; her uncles Jimmy and Morris Ellis represent an important branch of Chicago jazz history. But Diane’s own contribution to Chicago Jazz history is singularly important, because there is no one else who has devoted a career to building a school-wide program that introduces and trains very young children in the joy of jazz. Diane is also known for her career as Lil Sax, the indomitable alto saxophone player whose bright tone livened up any band she performed in.

Five years ago, Diane was leading a tribute to one of her musical heroes, Jimmy McGriff when she collapsed onstage having suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that affected the left side of her body. She was rushed to the hospital and treated for several weeks, after which she was sent to a rehab facility. Diane was making progress through therapy that was helping her relearn how to walk and slowly regain some limited use of her left arm and leg. There was great hope that she would continue to improve with regular therapy sessions when her insurance coverage ended and she was sent home. She has been at home since, with no therapy for nearly 2 years.

Anyone who knows Diane knows she is eternally optimistic, hopeful and cheerful. But nobody is ever prepared to lose the ability to do the very thing that keeps their fire lit; her music and her teaching. Diane is paying out-of-pocket for such items as her insurance, full-time nursing and home health caregivers 7 days a week to do everything from meal preparation and cleaning the house to providing emotional support and bathing and turning Diane. Combine this expense with the cost of physical and occupational therapy and Diane is looking at roughly $75,000 per year. Her home requires extensive modifications for her to continue to live there. Without her teaching income, her financial hardships will continue to increase. Diane needs our help!

To help with the financial burden of the uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign has been established in honor of Diane Ellis with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to help patients and families in need for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law and are held by Help Hope Live in the North-Central Catastrophic Illness Fund in honor of Diane Ellis. Donations are allocated by Help Hope Live based on financial need for medical expenses. Please consider making a donation today.

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Our community is so grateful for the profound impact Diane has had on so many lives. We have faith that all those who hear Diane’s story and appreciate what she has done for multitudes of children and their families will come to her aid in her time of need. Your financial donation here, big or small, will be incredibly appreciated and go a long, long way to helping Diane on the road to recovery. Thank you!

Al and Charlene Swanson

[email protected]