Olivia Rose Kearns cancer treatment support

Olivia is an amazing, bright and funny 18 month old little girl who has a mother, father and older sister who absolutely adore her.

When Olivia was just 5 months old her mother discovered spotted bruising come up on her right inner thigh she called health visitors, the GP and the hospital.

Olivia’s mother noticed a few months later a small marble sized lump in the same location on her body. This was relayed to the GP to which they said it was most likely from her jabs, some babies get them and were informed to disregard the lump.

Olivias 12 month jabs came in January 2021 and her mother explained the lump is still there but had increased to a golf ball size. The doctors asked if it caused pain, which is didn’t, and it didn't seem to bother Olivia.

March 2021 came along and the lump was the size of a tennis ball which was rock hard. Olivia’s mother then made an urgent appointment with the GP explaining she wasn't leaving until the doctors found out what was wrong with olivias leg. The doctor made a referral for a scan at GWH in Swindon and got told they will get a letter in the post about the appointment so went home. The same day Olivia’s mother got a phone call from the GP surgery and said they had spoken to hospital and they would like me to take Olivia up to PAU (paediatric assessment unit) located in children's unit at the hospital, her mother took her there within the hour of the phone call from the GP.

They arrived at the hospital and nothing happened got sent home and asked to come back the next day. Olivia’s father took her back up to the hospital the day after where they did an X-ray and ultrasound - nothing was found to indicate what the lump could be. MRI and blood tests were requested. MRI results and bloods came back and was still told they didnt know what it is, but has passed Olivia’s information over to Oxford hospital and Oxford asked to go back to GWH for  a chest X-ray and more blood tests.

Olivias had a chest X-ray and blood tests done and was sent back to Oxford within hours of it being done. The family informed they would have to go Oxford Nuffield health centre to speak with specialists about all the test that were done. Permission was requested from the doctors to preform an open biopsy on Olivia’s lump. The notes read that the doctors believe it is RMS (Cancer) and that there is also a lesion (unknown lump) on Olivia’s left proximal femur. 

Olivia made a full recovery after her biopsy and mum got told she would hear news on the 24/5/21 so mum and Olivia left the hospital waiting to hear results, in the days leading up to Olivia’s results mum come to find one morning Olivia was very limp, weak and would not respond or wake up fully. The emergency services were called. A Paramedic arrived and took Olivia to the hospital Olivia had got an infection from her biopsy and was prescribed antibiotics which did not agree with her. When she arrived home she was violenting vomiting and had to be taken back to the hospital where she was looked over by the PAU unit. Olivia was prescribed different antibiotics.

The 24th came and Olivia attended GWH hospital where they met with the professional who was dealing with her case. Unfortunately, Olivia’s parents were told that she had a soft tissue cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma which is rare in children her age. Olivia attended St John's Radcliffe hospital in Oxford for a CT scan the very next day, they were also told she would have a special line called a Hickman line attached to a vein inside her body, near her heart, and would need to have a bone marrow aspiration.

Olivia and her parents attended St John's Radcliffe hospital for her CT scan but unfortunately due to covid only one parent is allowed with Olivia at this time.

Olivia and her parents once again attended St John's hospital on 27/5/21 for Olivia to have a Hickman line attached to her body to make needles, medication, and drawing blood pain-free and when chemotherapy starts for that to go through her new line and to also have her bone marrow aspiration to check to see if the cancer has spread to Olivia’s bones.

The results came back from the CT scan and unfortunately the doctors could still not find out what the second lump was so said Olivia would need to have an MRI, bloods, and another CT scan followed by a bone scan, doctor did not want to do biopsy on second lump because believed it would anger the cancer and could be dangerous for Olivia.

Olivia’s parents got the results and the doctor believed the second lump is a possible cyst, not cancer, but need to do further test to confirm this. Olivia’s parents were told she would need to attend London's St Thomas' hospital for a PET scan on the 16/06/21. Olivia and her mother attended this appointment and again the scan went smoothly and we were allowed to leave the same day. 

Olivia’s mother was told they would need to preform day surgery on Olivia to take lymph nodes from her body to test. Olivia’s mum met with the doctors on 17/06/21 to get Olivia’s dressings changed. While at the appointment the doctor told her mother that with Olivia’s treatment there is a likely chance she could be infertile from all the chemotherapy.

Olivia and mother attended Oxford once again on 21/06/21 for both operations on the same day. Unfortunately, Olivia came down with a cold before this and mother was concerned about the two procedures causing harm to Olivia because she is unwell. Doctors spoke and said they need to do operations because they can't waste anymore time and it would be 5 weeks before they could do this again. Olivia and her mum went for a heart scan to now find out she has a hole in her heart which they need to monitor closely. Chemotherapy was due to commence on Thursday, 24/06/21.

Olivia has now started her treatment and we pray and wish she can fight this and have a whole healthy life with her family and one day have a healthy family of her own. 

The professionals are still testing Olivia’s genes because unfortunately they believe it is hereditary and will possibly need to test her father, mother and sibling we are hoping this is just a very unlucky circumstance.

Thank you for taking your time to read Olivia’s journey from start to treatment and we encourage all parents and guardians to check all children for suspicious lumps or bruising, even if your child seems perfectly fit and well.