Olimpia

Dear friends,

On 21st October at 02.10, we witnessed the untimely passing of our Olimpia, a beloved daughter, sister, wife and friend, at the age of only 43. Olimpia had reached the end of a three year battle with an undiagnosed neurological condition causing progressive shrinkage of her brain, to the point where she was only able to hear, see and think. For the last year of her life, unable to communicate, Olimpia was effectively a prisoner in her own body.

Olimpia’s condition started in 2020, when she noticed a numb feeling on the left side of her body. This turned into a left-sided paralysis within one year, followed by full body paralysis shortly afterwards. By the middle of 2022, Olimpia had lost the ability to speak. During this time, Olimpia was taken to see many specialists in the UK and her home country of Romania, in an attempt to find a diagnosis and potential treatment. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful.

In 2021, Olimpia’s mother Angela (who she called “mumi”) moved to the UK to care for her, and hasn’t left her side since. Understandably, due to the extend of her grief, Angela was unable to make comment on Olimpia’s passing at this time, though for a mother to lose a child no matter the age, it would be impossible for most to relate to her pain. Not too long before her daughter’s death, we remember Angela commenting on how her only wish would be to communicate with her daughter. But also that no matter her functional state, she would happily look after her daughter for the rest of her life.

At this time, we are waiting for the body to be released by the hospital, to be taken home to Romania. We are fundraising to help Olimpia’s family pay for the trip to her final resting place, close to family and friends, as well as funeral and memorials. This way they are allowed some degree of closure and peace after over three years of suffering and uncertainty.

Thank you for your generosity.

(This fundraiser has been created by friends, with the consent of the family)