Olivia went to the doctor on April 27th with a 104-degree fever after enduring what seemed to be a persistent cold over the course of several months. Blood work revealed a very high white blood cell count, and she was sent immediately to the hospital. After more tests, the doctors diagnosed Olivia with Leukemia. While the news of cancer was devastating, the immediate concern was her high fever; Olivia’s immune system was struggling to fight the infection. She received several blood and platelet transfusions and thankfully recovered from the cold over the next couple of days, all while undergoing a battery of biopsies and tests in order to determine exactly what type of Leukemia she has. Olivia is fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Olivia’s prognosis is very optimistic, but she has a long road ahead of her. She will be battling ALL with chemotherapy for the next two years, and unfortunately, Olivia has already experienced a set back. A few days after beginning chemotherapy, she had a seizure, which the doctor’s diagnosed as Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES), or swelling at the base of her brain. Thankfully, MRIs revealed no cancer, clots, or hemorrhages in her brain. Her condition is believed to be a side effect of her treatment so they will need to change the administration of the chemotherapy and find the right dose or pace for her.

Fortunately, Olivia is a brave, amazing little 5-year-old. She loves to sing and dance and play with her sister, Haley, her brother, Jacob and her cousins. She enjoys watching Scooby-Doo and cuddling with her mom, Jamie. She is also daddy’s little girl and likes being the center of her dad’s, George’s, attention. Olivia loves to be silly and make everyone laugh. Like most 5-year-olds, she can be a little wild at times and is a bit strong-willed. Luckily, that wild streak is a sign of her great inner-strength. She has been a super-hero through her illness, and she has a loving family supporting her every step of the way.

However, Olivia’s family is in need of financial help to pay her medical expenses and compensate for the time Jamie, as a single mom, is taking off work to care for Olivia. Furthermore, Jamie is moving her three children into her parents’ house to help temporarily reduce costs and surround Olivia with as much love and support as possible. But, they are facing at least two years of expensive medical bills. Further, Olivia will be unable to complete Kindergarten and will be home-schooled for first grade while she undergoes treatment. Let’s help our sweet Olivia and her family in her battle against Leukemia. Any donation, big or small, will help!