Our daughter Olive was diagnosed with Pre B-cell ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) on October 7, 2023 at 2.5 years old, just a couple of months after we had moved. Needless to say, life was turned upside down for both Olive and her big sister Penelope that day. While we acclimated to a new town and new school for Penelope, we learned to navigate hospital stays (and how to trick-or-treat and throw a third birthday bash from the hospital bed!), port precautions, chemotherapy cycles and several periods of isolation through the winter months while we waited for Olive’s immune system to recover. We learned to take things day by day and vowed to celebrate the good days, because we knew there would be many, many hard ones.
Olive is a force! She is 10 months into her courageous battle, but there is still a long road ahead as she completes the two-and-a-half-year treatment. The support and kindness from family, friends, community and organizations like John Shapiro Superheroes has truly lifted us in the darkest of moments. We cannot thank you enough for your generous donation. It will help ease the financial burden as I took an extended leave from work to care for Olive during her frontline treatment. Now that I have returned to work, it will help with transportation to and from the hospital, ordering takeout when we are pressed for time and spreading a little magic to two little girls who deserve it 🙂
We are honored to be part of the John Shapiro Superheroes and look forward to walking as a family in the future.
With our sincere gratitude,
Olive’s family
