By Nicolette Helling & photojournalist Carrie Kohlmeier, FOX 21 News

DULUTH - Ellie Olson is a very special 11-year old.

In her young life she has dealt with three serious health problems and is now in kidney failure.

"It's not that pleasant," said Ellie, describing her dyalisis treatments. "It kinda hurts."

Ellie spends 12 hours a day hooked up to a machine.

She usually receives dyalisis at home, but because of an infection, she's now at the hospital.

"When your full of toxins you just can't function very well," said Ellie's mother, Toni Snickers.

Ellie is on dialysis because she is in kidney failure.

Her history with health problems is long and begins in infancy.

Her adoptive father, Lowell Olson, remembers it well.

"They had to remove one of her kidneys, tow months after birth and two or three months later they had to remove another third of her second kidney," said Lowell. "So, she's pretty much lucky to have gone to 11 years old on two thirds of one kidney."

Lowell and his wife, Reene, adopted Ellie when she was a baby, despite her health problems.

But three years later, Reene died of cancer.

While they were still reeling from the loss of a mother and wife, Lowell and Ellie experienced another traumatic event.

Ellie's older sister accidentally put her in a bathtub of scalding hot water, causing third degree burns on her buttocks, ankles and feet.

"Wasn't a very pretty sight," said Lowell. "So she ended up in Miller Duan Burn Center, where Toni works."

Ellie underwent many surgeries during her two month stay at the burn center.

Toni Snickers frequently assisted during those surgeries.

"I first knew Ellie when she was a patient of ours," said Toni. 'Being that she had been there several times, I really got to know her name."

Toni says she could never forget Ellie's eyes as she prepared her for surgery.
But after two months in the hospital, three-year old Ellie got better and went home with her dad.

Not long after, Lowell was set up on a date with an old high school friend.
It turned out they shared a common hardship.

"She had lost her other half to a heart attack while in Omaha while being pregnant with Ivy, so she decided to move back to Minnesota," said Lowell, describing Toni.

The two shared life stories and learned about each others children.

"I really didn't put two and two together," said Toni. "Until he showed me the album of her. And it just brought tears to my eyes because I, it was, there she was, there's that girl that had been a patient."

The couple became closer and so did their daughters, Ellie and Ivy.

One day, the four and six-year olds approached their parents with a suggestion.
"I wanted another mom and Ivy wanted another dad," said Ellie.

"I lost my Dad before I was born," said Toni's daughter, Ivy. "And she lost her mom at a very young age so we both just decided they should get married."
Their proposal worked.

Toni and Lowell got married in March of 2007 and have been a family ever since.
"Crazy... Its crazy, but it's good. It's a good thing," said Toni.

Years after first treating her, Toni has now become Ellie's mother and special caregiver, a job she loves.

"It's a God-send for me and also the fact that Toni is in the medical field itself has really made a big, big difference," said Lowell.

Toni and Lowell say it's their children who keep them going through their current challenge, finding Ellie a new kidney.

"Last Wednesday Ellie had nine viles of blood drawn for different types of testing and immunizations," said Toni of Ellie's preparation for being put on the transplant list. "It's a process. It's not just like you find out and all a sudden you're on the list."

Because she's adopted, Ellie's parents are not a match for her type 0 blood.

"We hope that it won't be that long but you don't know," said Lowell.

Ellie knows how sick she is, but she says her family is what keeps her feeling happy.

"They do a lot," said Ellie. "Ivy stays in here and watch tv and stuff. And Mom like hooks me up and Dad gets me water."

"I hope she gets a kidney as soon as possible," said Ivy.

Even though she wasn't able to be there, Ellie's family held a fundraiser for her to help raise awareness of her need for a kidney transplant.

Family and friends gathered at Mr. D's Bar and Grill in Duluth on Saturday for a spaghetti dinner benefit.

Ellie's mother and father said, they are overwhelmed by the amount of support they've received from the community.

If you are interested in finding out if you are a potential donor for Ellie, please contact the Transplant Center at the University of Minnesota Fairview at 612-672-7270.