Meet Oliver: 2022 Family Advocacy Day Champion

Oliver is participating in Speak Now for Kids Family Advocacy Day from June 12-14. Through this event, Oliver and his family will discuss his health journey, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s role in providing him with necessary health care services, and why the public and our elected officials must invest in the future of patients like Oliver.

In December 2019, Oliver went to the ER with a fever and strong abdominal pain. He was admitted to the ICU for seven days—his blood counts were low, he had no immune system and two different forms of bacteria had taken hold in his system.

Oliver eventually went home with follow-up appointments scheduled a month out. Six months later Oliver and his family were back at the hospital at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and he was diagnosed with leukemia.

“A cancer diagnosis is the last thing you want to hear,” says Trisha, Oliver’s mother.  “Oliver’s doctor helped us through the initial shock, allowing the space to cry before moving forward into our options.”

Oliver started treatment the next day. He has been in treatment for pre-b acute lymphoblastic leukemia since May 26th of 2020—progressing through the different phases of treatment from the intense portion into maintenance phase. He’ll finish maintenance treatment in July.

Thankfully, the pandemic was not too tough on Oliver and his family. Remote work and schooling allowed them to maintain some normalcy.

“Oliver was able to do his school online with his friends and remain in the gifted program, which was tremendous for us and for him,” says Trisha. “Since the whole world was isolated, he didn’t feel the effects of his isolation as much as he could have.”

Today, Oliver is on the road to recovery. He loves playing video games and making art.

“We’re so happy that he has remained in the standard risk category and his body has accepted the treatment well and that he is ready to complete the maintenance portion of his treatment next month,” says Trisha.