"Love, Olivia has been created to be a non-profit company to provide special needs children with clothing, shoes, toys, and books. Additionally, Love, Olivia, will strive to provide special needs families with educational/community resources, financial assistance, and to raise awareness in the community of special needs challenges.
Our Inspiration...
To create a company to benefit special needs children and their families originated from our own special needs daughter, Olivia. Four days after Olivia's birth, she was diagnosed with Bacterial Meningitis. It was at this point where we felt like a deer in the headlights. We will never ever forget this moment. During this hospitalization, a brain hemorrhage appeared in her CAT scan. After being released from the hospital, Olivia had multiple episodes of breathing apnea. She would completely stop breathing, turn blue, and we would administer CPR. She was hospitalized five times due to the breathing apnea. The first year of Olivia’s life was uncertainty, hospitalizations, and many emotions. The second year of Olivia’s life was comprised of many doctors determining that Olivia had Cerebral Palsy/Global Developmental Delays, Sensory Issues, Acid Reflux, and Mental Retardation. We will never know if the Bacterial Meningitis caused these diagnoses and/or the brain hemorrhage. It will forever be a mystery.
Today, Olivia is enrolled in special programs to receive physical, occupational, speech, cognitive development, and other related therapies. Additionally, we have regular appointments with her Pediatrician, Neurologist, GI Specialist, and a few others. It has been a very emotional roller-coaster of uncertainty, loss of income, huge medical expenses, exhausting the retirement account – BUT WE WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! Olivia is a beautiful girl who lights up the room with her smile. We are very blessed that God chose us to be her parents.
To Special Needs Families...
If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with a medical condition that could require ongoing treatment including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc., the Love, Olivia web site has been designed to provide you with links to local community and national organizations through its Resources Page. Many of these organizations provide support to BOTH children and adults with disabilities. Some of their services include, but are not limited to, educational resources, family support groups, financial assistance, local community events, and various therapy programs. We hope you find the links under the Resources page informative and useful.
How Can I Help?
Many special needs families are facing more challenges and financial hardships then ever before. Most of these challenges are contributed to the economy, layoffs, and cutbacks in the California health care system and employers insurance plans. The medical expenses are astronomical for children and adults who have severe disabilities and illnesses. Please see our "Awareness" page for further details.
