Olivia’s encounter with cancer began when she was 4 years old. The young child was playing at a birthday party when she hit her head. When her parents noticed that the inflammation from the injury kept growing and getting worse, they decided to take her to the doctor who determined that everything was normal. Some days later, Olivia began to show abnormal symptoms. Her lymph nodes were swollen and she had strong pains in her arms, hands and legs, which impeded her walking. After several visits and medical exams, doctors found that Olivia suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
This was devastating and very painful news for the Castelluccio family who had already lost a family member to cancer. “The first thing I thought when I heard my granddaughter’s diagnosis was that this would be her end,” said Olivia’s grandmother.
Olivia and her family arrived at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in September 2006. At St. Jude, she is receiving oral and intravenous chemotherapy to eradicate the cancer. Olivia has suffered secondary effects, such as hair loss and changes in her mood, due to her medication. She will continue to receive medical treatment at St. Jude for the next two years.
Please send your monthly donation now and help give Olivia and other children like her a second chance at life.
Created by St Jude Patients