Main fundraiser photo

Olivia Henkel Leukemia Fund

Donation protected
Olivia Henkel was diagnosed in November of 2013 with AML(Acute Myeloid Leukemia).

Olivia was born in the middle of Illinois-about as far from the ocean as a person can get. But from an early age, her fascination with the ocean and all its creatures was evident and being a marine biologist became her goal. Olivia started having symptoms at the beginning of her second year of college. Doctors told her it was fatigue and stress, then bronchitis, then allergies.  By November, her knees started swelling and after blood test in the emergency room, a local hospital sent her to a Level 1 Trauma Center In Peoria, Illinois. They were not able to make a conclusive diagnosis and with Olivia's health getting worse by the hour, her parents transferred her to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. There she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia  (AML). By the time Olivia was admitted, she had myocardial effusions making it difficult for her lungs and heart to function.  As sick as she was, chemotherapy had to start immediately. Her first round was 24 hours a day for seven days. The least of her side effects was losing her hair.  In February of 2014, Olivia had another round of chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant from the one perfect match on the world wide registry.  After another 3 months, Olivia was able to return home with the stipulation that she make the 10 hour round trip twice a week for checkups. 

In May, of 2014 on her way to one her first check ups with her mother, Jennifer, Olivia received a call from her sister Adrianne that her father, Bernie Henkel, had suffered a massive heart attack. By the time they got back to Peru, her father had passed away.

Olivia found out the cancer had returned on August 31st of this year. She started intense chemotherapy two days later. This time, with the prior donor rejected, there is no perfect match. Her mother and sister are being tested to be haplo donors and we are hopeful that the outcome will be positive. She will be at the Mayo Clinic until the spring of 2016. Understandably, her mother will be at her side throughout the process and working will not be possible. We are accepting donations for living expenses and for Olivia's future, in hopes that she will be able to return to school and finish her degree in marine biology.
Donate

Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $5 
    • 8 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Grace Elizabeth
Organizer
Peru, IL

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.