HOMETOWN STRONG JULY 2021

Hometown Strong is a way for GTS as therapists and member of community to give back to the communities that we love and live in. Each month employees of GTS donates a portion of their paycheck and GTS rounds that amount up to make a donation to a local charity. Each staff member that donates to this fund is entered into a drawing and once per month we draw a staff member name.

Olivia’s Journey

Olivia Jane is a 3-year-old happy bundle of joy. She started her journey 2.5 years ago. Since day 1, she has had: 6 tumors, unable to remove the most recent, 4 brain surgeries, 5 treatment regimens, 3 stem cell transplants, 10 different chemos, 50 does of radiation; 30 proton & 20 whole brain & spine, and 1 trial drug. And with all of this, none of it has slowed her down. She has handled all of this with so much bravery and strength.

The week before Mother’s Day, Olivia started having minor left-sided weakness and over the last couple of weeks, it’s gotten worse. She’s not having pain in that side, she just says “it’s not working”. On June 14, her family learned that, unfortunately, the trial medicine isn’t working. Olivia’s tumor has grown to be about double the size over the last two months. So, they stopped the trial medicine and discussed their options.

Option one was to do another surgery that will almost guarantee left-sided paralysis. They would place a catheter into her ventricles that would give chemo straight to her brain. She would then have a G-tube placed because of how much medicine when would need. this would have Olivia spending the majority of her time being inpatient at the hospital.

Option two is to not do anything.

With the rate it’s growing, her doctor predicted her family would have a few months left with her hopes that they would be able to make her birthday on September 22.

On July 25th, Miss Olivia was dedicated at her church and her mom was baptized. All because of the love and support from the many people who have followed Olivia’s journey. “Nobody makes it off this earth alive and some people are allowed more time on this planet than others are and it’s not fair one bit when some have to go way too soon but the best thing we can all do is just have faith in the Lord & LIVinthemoment” her mother wrote.