Precious Time-Wasting Wisely

Ollie has been begging to go on vacation pretty much since he got sick two years ago. In fact our last official vacation was this week two years ago at Mont Tremblant. So it seemed time to live a bit and enjoy the life we fought so hard to have these past two years.

Photo description: Mario, Ollie (who is wearing a dive mask), Abby (wearing goggles on her head and Dawn sit at a patio table having lunch outside of an outdoor pool.

On the same trip to Mont Tremblant two years ago we were blissfully unaware of the cancer that was about to turn our entire life upside down. 

Photo description: Dawn, Mario, Ollie and Abby take a selfie at the Mont Tremblant Mini Golf Gazebo in July 2019 just before Ollie's lymphoma bump appeared on his neck.

In the summer of 2019 we had arranged to be in Mont Tremblant at the same time as dear friends Maria, Sofia and Micheline. We had a blast running around the village with them for a few days playing laser tag, going down the luge ride, paddleboating and so much more. 

Photo description: Dawn, Sofia, Micheline, Maria and Abby in vests and holding laser guns at Mission Liberte Laser Tag in Mont Tremblant on July 2019.

I feel like this might have been the foreshadowing of how close we'd all become in the following months when we learned that Ollie was sick. Maria and Mich were among our first visitors in hospital and were a constant support over the past two years. 

In addition to everything else that they did, they had a particularly important role in bolstering my faith in God during this journey and reminding me that He was always with me and sending me incredible angels like them and so many others to help us. Sofia has also been a dear friend to Abby and Ollie throughout this journey.

Photo description: Ollie lies covered up in blankets on a radiation table at Princess Margaret Hospital readying for total body radiation before stem cell transplant with the radiation machine above him and green lasers focused on his body.

Last year at this time we had just arrived back in Toronto after getting Ollie back into remission. We were  preparing for transplant and Ollie was undergoing total body radiation at Princess Margaret Hospital/Sick Kids this same week before being admitted for chemo and then transplant. Incredible where we are versus where we've come from these past two years.

Getting back to this year, naturally we checked all COVID statistics and protocols before deciding to go to Mont Tremblant this week.  My friend Leila has been living with her husband and kids at their cottage there all winter to keep them safe from COVID and assured me that the area was still very quiet and there are zero active cases in this region and only 75 active cases in all of Quebec! Given this and the fact that the #TwoDoseSummer for Ontario COVID vaccines seems to be working (Abby got her second shot last week), we indulged Ollie and booked a week away. It's also an early celebration of his transplant anniversary coming next week. 

Photo description: Abby after getting her second COVID-19 vaccine at the Queensway Carleton Hospital Vaccine Clinic in June 2021.

Packing and getting ready for the vacation was somewhat reminiscent of our last trip, which was to Toronto for transplant. This made me feel anxious. Like we've been here before, but the uncertainty of what we'd be facing as far as risks and keeping Ollie well were enormous again, even though they're not in comparison. That's the crummy part about PTSD...any little trigger can make you feel the full weight of your past trauma and anxiety like it is happening again, even when it isn't. But I'm learning to handle it and do hard things anyways. Deep breaths, Dawn. 

Ollie's well. The oncologist cleared him to go on this trip and even to go back to school if COVID numbers remain low in the fall, so we're all going to be okay and the risk is low and worth taking for mental health in other ways. Thank goodness I saw my therapist at the beginning of last week! She helped to affirm all of this and to remind me that it's still okay that I feel how I feel and normal given our circumstances.

Photo description: Mario and Ollie play a magnetic go fish game while on vacation in Mont Tremblant on July 2021.

We arrived last Saturday evening after Ollie and Mario slept blissfully the entire way and Abby and I sang girl songs of empowerment from the playlist that we made before our big trip to Toronto in March to get her assessment for transplant done at Sick Kids. Sometimes I listen to songs on our playlists made to get through hard things and I feel euphoric, other times nostalgic and sometimes just weepy and overwhelmed with what has happened. Some may think or  have asked, "Why would she WANT to listen to/read/talk about anything from those difficult times?!" Honestly it's my way of processing. It seems to be Ollie's, too as he repeatedly asks to great his "Bye Bye Lymphoma" playlist. I sometimes still tear up at certain songs remembering hard moments when those songs were playing, but I have always been affected by music that way, too.

I have experience in my family of people having gone through trauma and pushing it away into the deep recesses of their minds and hearts. They never talk about it (others in the know whisper about those times, which is how I am aware of them) and pretend that it never happened. But it's clear that it affects them, their judgement and relationships every day of their lives. Ignoring it doesn't make the trauma any less stressful or crippling. In fact it can make other aspects of your life worse as you repress the trauma and anxiety. Often it's caused other personal issues like addictions, casting the entire family into a cycle that is very hard to break. After everything else cancer has taken from us these past two years I cannot let it permanently take my mental and emotional health nor my children's. So I'll keep taking about it and remembering (maybe a little less frequently publicly going forward if stability continues) to try to recover from it all and leave space in my mental health for wellness.

 Photo description: Mario, Ollie and Abby play in the pool in Mont Tremblant while Dawn takes a selfie from poolside in July 2021. 

The week away was lovely. There were far fewer people there than we imagined, COVID protocols were effective and followed and we generally felt safe while out for the first time in what seems like forever (remember that Ollie was sick 6 months before COVID hit). We spent most of the week walking, swimming and just resting. I even went out to buy groceries in person...first time I've done that in about 5 months as we still get everything delivered.

Photo description: Ollie and his friend James play air hockey in Mont Tremblant.

As a bonus, on the first day, we bumped into dear friend of Ollie's James from school and his family where we were staying! It was lovely to see them all and we got to have a couple of "playdates" with him before they left after their long weekend away. Since all activities including the Arcade had to be booked, were limited to few people and were cleaned in between, it was easy to limit our potential exposure to COVID.

Photo description: Ollie, Mario and Abby swim in the pool while Dawn takes a selfie of them all from the deck.

You had to book a one hour time slot at the pool and several days we were the only our almost the only ones there! Ollie was in his glory and we were able to finally give him something he's been begging to do for 20 months - swim in a public pool with no PICC (a central line he had in during treatment for blood draws and IV meds as needed)! We were all able to really get in and enjoy it because there was such low risk and even the few that were in the pool with us certain days were very respectful and kept their distance. 

We did do one interview with the incredibly kind Katherine Dines from Ottawa's Move 100 to talk about the upcoming blood donor clinic (see info later in this blog) in honour of Ollie's one year anniversary of his stem cell transplant and the #OlliesPizza that continues to be available from Gabriel Pizza in support of childhood cancer families through Candlelighters Ottawa. And our update piece with Canadian Blood Services for the transplant-iversary came out last week, too. We continue to be humbled by the interest in our story and the opportunities to promote awareness of childhood cancer and blood products donation.

Back to the vacation...at Ollie's request, he and I went up to the village one day to try to do something fun. Mario and Abby preferred to relax in our vacation home with Hope. So off we went to the village, taking the open gondola to the top to make it easier for Ollie not to have to walk all that way. Getting Ollie in the gondola while blind was a new experience, but he did it like a champ and I was grateful to the operators who had given me the signal that they had seen his white cane and were watching closely and prepared to press the stop button if we needed it. We didn't and Ollie and I were pretty proud of ourselves. I am constantly grateful for how his white cane creates awareness and accommodation when he needs it.

Photo description: Ollie and Dawn wear masks on the open gondola with wind in their hair while riding to the top of the Mont Tremblant village.

Ollie is like me and LOVES amusement rides and new adventures. So he was so joyful during that ride up. I described everything we were passing and while I still wished he could see it himself, I was grateful that he'd been before and had pictures in his head already about how beautiful it all is. 

When we got to the top, he wanted to try the luge. I had already called ahead to inform them that I was bringing my blind son and to see if we could ride together. They said we should check directly with the operator. Sadly, the staff there said we were too big to fit together. Grateful that I had prepared Ollie for this possibility, I assured him we'd find something else fun to do. 

Photo description: A Mont Tremblant staff member helps Ollie into a harness while sitting in a trampoline at the Eurobungy ride.

So off we went to the Eurobungy. Thankfully there were no lineups anywhere! A sure sign that things are not yet normal up there. 

I was nervous about him doing it with his blindness. He can get dizzy and nauseous almost like having vertigo at times as is normal for blind people who don't have the horizon  focus on to help with their centre of balance. I had thought ahead and brought his anti-nausea meds just in case (he hadn't taken any in months he's been so well). Also, I was a bit nervous about his back and hip. His bone density issues continue and while he generally feels little or no pain, I wasn't sure if this would hurt him. He just had bone density scans last week and I knew his hip was a bit better and his back a tiny bit worse. He sees the endocrinologist and the bone specialist on July 22, so hopefully we'll know more about next steps then. In the meantime I reminded myself that the risk is still low and that we got him well to let him live and I need to put aside my fears and desire to bubble wrap him now and just let him be a normal kid.

The young man who helped him into his harness had seen him come in with his white cane and understood immediately that he was blind and would need very clear verbal instructions and reassurance. He was so kind and gentle with Ollie, taking special care to keep him safe and to make it fun for him. I could have hugged him.  His name was Zach. Whoever his parents are should be so proud of what a kind and respectful man they have raised.

Ollie had a blast! It took him a few bounces to get the feel for it on his feet to know when to brace for them to hit the trampoline, but as in all things our brave warrior figured it out quickly and was soon laughing out loud in delight. I was in tears and was glad the sun was in my eyes so I could blame that instead of my emotions for once. Zach and I asked several times if he felt okay and he assured us he felt great. The timer went off and Zach (knowing how happy Ollie was and that there was no lineup of kids waiting for their turn behind him) says he didn't pay attention to timers and let Ollie bounce a bit longer. When it was done he gently helped Ollie out of his harness, told him how great he'd been at it and wished us a great day. He'd already made it perfect for us. 

Photo description: Ollie is strapped in a harness and bouncing in the air off of a trampoline while holding on to the bungy cords on each of his sides. The sky is very blue with fluffy white clouds and there is no line up for the ride.

Ollie was so thrilled with the whole experience and proud of himself. Once again he'd done something scary and difficult in his constant darkness and conquered it in every way. He felt like a "normal" kid. After that I offered him several other options, but he told me that had been enough excitement and he was ready to head back to our condo. 

Photo description: Ollie makes a move on his Tactile Chess Set on the table in front of him while playing with Mario on the sofa.

Photo description: CNIB Buddy Dog Hope looks at the beautiful lake and mountains behind her while Dawn crouches beside her and takes a selfie while on a walk in Mont Tremblant.

On the last day we went to our friend Leila's cottage (while she was in Ottawa with her kids swimming in our backyard to beat the heat!) to use her lake and boats. 

Photo description: Abby and Ollie sit in a yellow paddle boat on the water while Mario and Dawn prepare to push the boat out and get on. All are wearing life jackets.

It was a beautiful day and the kids were excited to get on the water. We paddled around for a while. Then Abby and Mario swam a bit while Ollie fished and I just enjoyed the serenity. Hope had already had a swim and settled down in the boat next to Ollie while he fished. He caught nothing, but was happy just to do it.

 Photo description: Mario and Abby stand in the water holding the paddle boat while Hope lies in the boat beside Ollie as he fishes.

Finally we enjoyed a picnic on Leila's back deck, at her suggestion used her facilities and tried out the electronic drums and headed back to our condo after a fun day. Many thanks to Leila and Adam for allowing us to use their home away from home.

 Photo description: Ollie sits at an electronic drum kit with drumsticks in his hands while wearing his hat backyards and sunglasses.

All in all, a great if quiet vacation (at least compared to our typical vacations of past) and much needed time to rest and start to slowly rejoin the world. We remain hopeful yet cautious as we watch and see what the fall will bring as far as COVID is concerned.

Before I wrap this up, just a reminder that we are doing a blood donor drive in Ollie and Abby's honour this week to celebrate Ollie one year anniversary of his stem cell transplant. 

To join our campaign, simply:

1. Register or sign in if you're already a donor and have an account.

2. Select "Partners" from the menu.

3. Search "Donate for Ollie & Abby".

4. Book an appointment to donate. If you can't make it between July 19th to 24th, it still counts, so make it in a few weeks or even months and still be counted!

If you prefer you can also call 1-888-2- DONATE and ask to be added to the "Donate to Ollie & Abby" campaign that week. 

If you can't donate, please share this with others who might.

 Photo description: A Canadian Blood Services (CBS) poster reading "Honour Abby's Be A Hero Day by donating blood" with a photo of a masked Abby standing in front of the CBS office sign near Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto days after Abby made her stem cell donation for Ollie in March 2020.

You will hear from me again soon as I planned a special post this week for the one year anniversary. Until then, enjoy every moment of your health, remember to continue to be safe and observe COVID precautions for kids who can't get the vaccine yet and immuno-compromised people like our Ollie and practice gratitude. We all have a lot to be thankful for, even when it may not seem like it.

Survival and Summer

Photo description: Ollie wears sunglasses and stands with his cane in front of the sign for the Cancer Survivor's Park in Ottawa.

In early May 2020 we came back to Ottawa from Toronto feeling deflated and stressed after missing the first opportunity to get him a lifesaving stem cell transplant when he relapsed a second time in his central nervous system. We spent 8 anxious weeks doing 13 sessions of brain and spine radiation, taking the new drug called Lorlatinib (that they obtained under compassionate grounds and was untested in children) and waiting to see if it worked. On June 24, 2020, we got the news that his scans were clear and he was officially back in remission!!! Last week he was officially one year in remission!!! So he did it again...proved that he could defy the odds and do 365 days of survival after we were told there were "few options left" to treat him after his second relapse. Sometimes I wonder if there's any challenge he hasn't overcome yet! 

 Photo description: Ollie raises his arms in triumph with a big smile on his face while wearing a t-shirt that reads, "Survivor: Cancer. It came. I fought and won."

Remission in this week last year started a new series of anxious weeks getting ready, going back to Toronto and finally getting his stem cell transplant with his sister Abby's incredible stem cells on July 20, 2020.

Photo description: Ollie stands with his cane in front of the Cancer Survivor's art installation in Cancer Survivor's Park in Ottawa. He stands in front of a tunnel of frames as behind statues of patents holding the issues of a child between them after emerging from the cancer journey.

One year in remission sadly isn't enough to say he's cured. I'm not sure we will ever be able to say that as even science doesn't really know who will walk away and never have cancer again and who may get it again. But, it's clear he's a survivor and we're hopeful he'll remain so. He and I made a visit to the Cancer Survivor's Park in Ottawa near the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and took some photos so he'd have his rightful place there.  As I shared in an earlier blog, we drive by this park every time we go/ have gone to CHEO and The Ottawa Hospital and many times during treatment it reminded me that people survive the unbelievable torture and agony of cancer and end up survivors.

Photo description: Ollie stands with his cane in front of the Cancer Survivor's art installation in Cancer Survivor's Park in Ottawa. 

Not surprisingly his survival makes us want to help others to survive their darkest hours and help their children, too. So we were thrilled to share Ollie's story for the 2021 CHEO Telethon, which raised a record-setting $10.9 million dollars!!! 

Photo description: A brown paper bag reads "Ollie +Abby" with CHEO stickers on it.

When Ollie went into CHEO for his regular monthly bloodwork and checkup the day after the Telethon, the staff treated him like a celebrity after seeing his story. He felt pretty proud to be part of it and this helps to boost his confidence.

Photo description: A gift bag including two teddy bears wearing yellow CHEO shirts and purple capes and various CHEO items including certificates for Ollie and Abby was dropped off for them by CHEO after the 2021 CHEO Telethon.

Photo description: Ollie wearing a mask walks the halls of CHEO with his white cane.

He also had an opthamology consult at CHEO two weeks ago at my request. The last time he had one was just after getting back from transplant last September and recently he's complained of things seeming darker again, causing him more fear and reducing his confidence. Naturally that stresses me out more as I worry something is happening in his brain (the fear always immediately goes to a relapse) and he becomes more needy, making my day to day activities with him harder. I'd also noticed a free weeks before that the blue in his right eye appeared to be bleeding out of the circle and into the white of his eye. Thankfully our oncologist always takes me seriously, so when I asked for the consult, she and her team immediately arranged it. 

Photo description: Ollie walks Hope while using his white cane at the Central Experimental Farm near his home in Ottawa.

Dr. O'Connor is the Opthamalogist at CHEO who has seen Ollie for the 17 months since he became blind. He told me this was the best look at Ollie's optic nerves that he's gotten since he went blind. He confirmed that in Ollie's right eye there is the extensive damage they've assumed based on the previous inflammation in that eye and on the scans. He was impressed by how much peripheral vision Ollie actually had in that eye considering that he could see that the optic nerve was almost chewed away at by the lymphoma. He said unbelievably there is still some minor inflammation and bruising in that eye (that's what the blue in his white was!), so it's still possible that he may recover a bit more light/vision in that eye. He told me noticing the bruising was a really good catch that most would never notice. I told him it's now my job to notice every little thing about my son.

He then told me he'd reviewed Ollie's case notes before seeing him. He asked me if anyone at Sick Kids had ever mentioned that Ollie's left retina was detached as he hadn't seen it in the case notes and he hadn't noted it himself last fall. I told him I was certain I would have remembered that! So he said, this would explain the sudden darkness for him and congratulated me in following my instincts to ask for a consult. He's referred us to a retina specialist as we'd like to reattach the retina to avoid pressure issues, for the  chance that he may recover a bit if that vision and just in case science and medicine make it possible for his optic nerves to be repaired one day. As I told the doctor, 60 years ago a stem cell transplant wasn't possible, they're currently using stem cells in the US to regenerate damaged retinas and he's still very young so has a lifetime of medical progress ahead to hope for. Retina reattachment is a relatively quick and easy procedure done through laser eye surgery now. We'll keep you posted on this.

Photo description: Dawn wears a mask and a bandaid on her arm in an arena after getting her second COVID-19 vaccination.

In other news, Mario and I are now double vaccinated and Abby has her first and is awaiting her eligibility for her second. The vaccine still isn't approved for kids under 12 and it will have to specifically be okay for immuno-compromised kids like Ollie before he can get it. We remain hopeful that news will come soon.

Photo description: Abby's arm with a bandaid after she received her first COVID-19 vaccination.

Another beautiful thing that happened to us recently was that my dear friend Vanessa Kelly arrived at my door with a gift of her latest book for me. Vanessa is a USA Today Best-selling Author of historical romances. I have long been a closeted fan of historical romances and when I met Vanessa at my church a few years ago, got to know her and found out what she did for a living, I immediately began devouring her books as my guilty pleasure. Since Ollie got sick she's so kindly brought me advanced copies of all of her new books! So I was excited at this one arriving just as school was out and I'd have a bit more time to read. When she left and I opened the package there was a card for Abby and I with the book that said she hoped we didn't mind that she'd dedicated her latest book to us!

Photo description: Cover of the novel, "The Highlander's Irish Bride" with a photo of a shirtless man in a red kilt embracing a woman in a pink dress. Novel by USA Today Best-selling Author Vanessa Kelly.

So I quickly opened the book to the dedication page and wept as I read her dedication and personal message (see photo below). I was also thrilled to be in the incredible company of our dear friend Maria who does have THE most loving heart around and has been the most generous friend before and throughout Ollie's cancer. She was the one who arranged the meal train and had everyone feed us for the months we were in Ottawa, arranged prayer circles, came to hospital and fed us there, played Beyblades in hospital with Ollie, fed me and sat with me in the pediatric ICU when Ollie first relapsed and Mario and Abby had strep and couldn't come to hospital, etc. 

Photo description: Dedication page of the novel, "The Highlander's Irish Bride". The printed dedication reads, "To Abby A-P, a bright, brave lass, as well as an excellent writer who will adorn the world with her talent. And to her mom, Dawn P, also a bright, brave lass. Your dedication against all nodds defined love and courage. And to Maria C. It's been a true pleasure getting to know your loving heart!" A handwritten note says, "To Abby & Dawn, Real life heroines!  Vanessa XOXO"

To say that Abby and I were touched by Vanessa's love and public admiration through this dedication is an understatement. Vanessa has also been a constant source of positivity and prayer during Ollie's cancer treatment and stem cell transplant and I am blessed by her friendship. I don't know how I got so lucky to have such fantastic people in my life, but I am grateful to God daily for all who have loved and continue to love us. 

If any are interested, her new book will be available to buy on July 27th through Amazon and other book retailers. Warning though - they're addictive so make sure you start it in a weekend when you have lots of time to read! 😉

Photo description: Mario helps Ollie tie on his new yellow belt from Kids Kicking Cancer.

The kids finished off an inspiring year of martial arts with Kids Kicking Cancer with their Yellow Belt Grading Ceremony. Imagine that my blind cancer- and stem-cell transplant surviving son who was in a wheelchair and hardly able to walk to the bathroom last September earned his yellow belt this year! I am 100% convinced that Kids Kicking Cancer contributed so much to getting him to wellness, strength and a hugely improved range of movement over the past 8 months. It's also built his confidence as he gave several talks to senior federal government and corporate leaders on how to overcome challenges and use power breathing to calm your fears and anxiety during these difficult times. 

Photo description: Abby and Ollie show off their new yellow belts from Kids Kicking Cancer.

At Kids Kicking Cancer they tell their powerful martial artists that their mission is to teach the world. He and Abby HAVE been teaching the world how to face adversity with bravery and determination these past two years. Abby agreed to do the martial arts classes simply to help Ollie, but she ended up getting so much more out of it than she expected and was pretty proud of her yellow belt (even if as she pointed out she was the oldest in the class). I couldn't be prouder of either of them or more grateful to Sensei Lyne and Sensei Cody as well as Jill, Julie and all who have worked so hard to bring the gift of martial arts to kids fighting cancer and their siblings in Canada.

Photo description: Ollie rides his new orange BERG pedal go kart while wearing an orange helmet and giving a thumbs up. 

Ollie and Abby ended online school last week. It was not an easy year between cancer/stem cell transplant recovery and the pandemic, but they hung in there and both made some astounding progress considering everything they had to deal with at the same time. One of Abby's teachers really got our situation this year as her son needed a kidney transplant, so she was part of a kidney transplant chain (she was not a match for her son, so donated for another child for whom she was a match and someone who was a match for her son and had a child for whom they were not a match donated to hers). Thankfully both her and her son are also doing well. What a year for everyone!

Ollie's vision itinerant teacher Mrs. Shepherd was retiring at end of this year and no doubt Ollie was one of the most challenging and yet impressive students she's ever had. She says he learned Braille faster than most students she's taught over her long career and I am one of only two parents she's ever known to learn Braille with their child. She was a gift to us with her expertise and determination to get Ollie into advanced (called grade 2/contracted) Braille and back on track for school next fall with his regular class (assuming it is safe enough for him). Ollie was genuinely sad to hear that she would be retiring and wouldn't be his teacher again next year, but we know he'll be in great hands with his next teacher given the great transition Mrs. Shepherd did. 

Photo description: Ollie gives two thumbs up while sitting in front of his 9th birthday cake about to blow out the candles.

In addition to his remission anniversary and end of the school year, it was also Ollie's 9th birthday last week. Since we knew it would be another fairly quiet one with only a small family party and we promised to have a real party for 9.5 or whenever it's safe to, Ollie got an extra special present in lieu of a party. 

After much discussion about his desire to ride a bike again (and he meant alone, not tandem) and deliberation about the merits of a three wheel bike vs. tandem bike vs. other options, we finally agreed to buying him a pedal go kart. Since it's hard/more dangerous for blind/low vision people to ride a bike independently, he agreed this would be a great and exciting alternative. We take it out to the Central Experimental Farm near our house and he's had a complete blast on it, being so much more confident than we expected. We do have to give him a bit of verbal feedback if he's getting close to an obstruction or hill, etc., but otherwise it's all him and you can tell he feels free and like a completely normal kid when he rides it. 

Photo description: An ad for the Great Make-A-Wish Campout that reads, "I've accepted Oliver's Campout challenge...Now I'm challenging you!" With photos of Ollie from his Wish Day and Abby camping last year for the event.

In honour of Ollie's birthday, and of our dear friend Hillary McKibbin's birthday, (which is the same day as Ollie's!) the two kids were Co-Wish Ambassadors for the Great Make-A-Wish Campout last weekend. Although it rained most of the weekend, we had some fun and raised some money to Wish It Forward for other kids with critical illnesses. Thanks to all for your generous donations for our many causes. We're taking a break from financial donations for a bit now...

Photo description: Ollie and his CNIB Buddy Dog Hope stand in front of the Canadian Blood Services sign as it flashes, "Blood for Life".

...so now all we want is your BLOOD! 😄 In honour of Ollie's upcoming  re-birthday (1 year anniversary of his stem cell transplant) and his sister's Hero Day (when he got her lifesaving stem cells) on July 20th, we're doing a blood donation clinic from July 19th to 24th. When Ollie was sick he got every blood product there is multiple times including blood, plasma, IViG and stem cells and each one saved his life every time. In gratitude we want to help to save more loved ones like Ollie with blood donations. 

We're hoping to get 100 donations. You can join our campaign from anywhere in the country and new donors are welcome. It's safe even during pandemic. I have donated every 84 days as I am allowed since Ollie got home from transplant last September. It takes less than an hour and you could meet a friend there to chat and catch up during your collection as I have! 

To join our campaign, simply:

1. Register or sign in if you're already a donor and have an account.

2. Select "Partners" from the menu.

3. Search "Donate for Ollie & Abby".

4. Book an appointment to donate between July 19th to 24th.

If you prefer you can also call 1-888-2- DONATE and ask to be added to the "Donate to Ollie & Abby" campaign that week. 

If you can't donate, please share this with others who might. If your loved one is ever critically ill or in an accident, you want to know that blood will be there to save their life. I have sent silent prayers of thanks to the kind donor each and every time my son has been saved by a blood product. What an incredible country we live in that you can count on free lifesaving blood!

After this campaign we're going to take a little break from giving back to recharge. I sometimes forget that we went right from cancer to stem cell transplant to school and "regular life" so rapidly last fall with no time to process or rest. We plan to do that and only that for August to ready for the next transition back to in-person school in the fall if it's safe enough for Ollie.

Wishing you all a beautiful beginning to summer. Don't forget to find the joy in life every day no matter what your challenges may be. It's there if you look for it and helps you to survive even the worst things you can imagine.