Little Olivia started the family vacation feeling lethargic, with a low fever and a tummy ache. She rallied, but on the long car ride home her symptoms overtook her again.
“A 2-year-old that slept the whole entire road trip …” said her mom, Kacie.
Something wasn’t right. Her pediatrician did labs and the results were stunning.
“Your entire world can be shattered in the few minutes it takes for a blood test to be run,” said Kacie. “I think then, it was pure darkness. I did not see any future.”
Olivia had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer. ALL is the most common form of childhood cancer, but thanks to treatments invented at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, its survival rate has increased from 4% when St. Jude opened in 1962 to 94% today.
Kacie said, “I think that by the time we got admitted to St. Jude, we were pushing midnight. It was late. But they did not waste any time. The next morning, she was being taken down to have a port put in and have spinal taps, and lumbar punctures, and all the stuff that was not anywhere in our vocabulary of common-day conversation. Now it has become as routine as wanting to watch Mickey Mouse in our home.”
Olivia (right) with her family
Cancer treatment has meant that Olivia and her twin brother, Owen, have to spend most of their days apart, and she misses out on play dates and birthday parties with cousins. But she actually enjoys coming to St. Jude.
“Her nurses have all commented on how well she handles everything, never letting out a cry and always sitting still for them to do whatever they need to do,” said Kacie. “She is the perfect daughter and the best sister, and if you ask her, she isn’t sick.”
St. Jude has helped push the childhood cancer survival rate from 20% when we opened to 80% today. We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
Olivia’s parents were St. Jude supporters before her diagnosis, but even their expectations have been surpassed.
I’ve always known St. Jude is a special place, but not until we became patients did I truly understand. St. Jude means hope. St. Jude means a future for our daughter. I am eternally grateful that we have this amazing place. When people give to St. Jude they are helping to make miracles happen.
Olivia, who loves baby dolls, painted nails, pretty dresses and all things princess, will be receiving chemotherapy until 2021. Her family will owe St. Jude nothing, because families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Janelle
When Janelle was just over a year old, her family noticed that she began to regress in her development. Medical tests revealed that Janelle had cancer.
-
Meet Yazleemar
Yazleemar is an outgoing and expressive teenager. In 2012, Yazleemar was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare cancer. St. Jude offered more than treatment to her and her family.
-
Meet Gideon
After Gideon was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, he was referred to St. Jude for immediate treatment.
-
Meet Felicity
With a diagnosis of 5 tumors in her brain and spine, Felicity is facing a struggle, but you wouldn't know it by the constant smile on her face.
-
Meet Charlie
Diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in his shoulder, Charlie was referred to St. Jude then underwent chemotherapy and surgery to replace a cancerous bone with titanium.
-
Meet Ava
At 6 years old, Ava had a lump on her neck and tests showed she had more lumps in her belly. Tests revealed that she had a cancerous tumor and was referred to St. Jude.
-
Meet Kamryn
At 2 years old, Kamryn's bloodwork indicated he had a form of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Doctors referred him to St. Jude where he would undergo more than 2 years of chemotherapy while growing to love activities like Music Therapy.
-
Meet Luxe
As a kindergartener, Luxe’s legs became so covered in bruises that her parents took her to the doctor. Luxe was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia.
-
Meet Eliza
Eliza’s pediatrician referred her to an ophthalmologist after testing her eyes. In turn, she was referred to St. Jude as a tumor was visible in her right eye.
-
Meet Rinoa
Rinoa had an MRI due to headaches and, later, double vision. Doctors found a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma and was soon referred to St. Jude.
-
Meet Adalyn
Adalyn had stomachaches that came and went with episodes of severe pain. At the ER, doctors found a large mass above her kidney, stage-4 high-risk neuroblastoma.
-
Meet Braxton
Braxton was discovered to have a brain tumor at just 6 weeks old, with more scary news to follow. But St. Jude has given this family a lot to look forward to.
-
Meet Chance
Chance was diagnosed with metastatic medulloblastoma. After surgery, referred to St. Jude, he received chemotherapy and proton therapy treatments to his brain and spine.
-
Meet patient Natalie
Natalie seemed like a healthy toddler. But one day, she stopped using her left arm. She had Stage IV neuroblastoma and was referred to St. Jude for treatment.
-
Meet our patient Emma
Tests revealed that Emma had a mass on her brain. A biopsy led to a referral to St. Jude where she was diagnosed with ATRT, a rare form of brain cancer.