Olivia's Story

Olivia's Story

A rare cancer at nine years old, a thumbs up that rallied a whole community, and a family's promise to give back.

2021

Diagnosed at age 9

RMS

Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer

🔔

Rang the bell at Novant Health

3½ yrs

No evidence of active cancer, Nov 2026

Olivia before her diagnosis, with a swollen eye

01 · 2021

"Your child has cancer."

Olivia Reardon was born 10½ weeks early with a double aortic arch, a rare heart condition. After six years in and out of the hospital, she had a procedure to repair it.

Then, in November 2021, when she was nine years old, she was diagnosed with Stage IV alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the paranasal sinuses, a rare soft-tissue cancer. She had emergency surgery to remove as much of the tumor behind her eye as possible, and a craniotomy one week later.

Her parents, Kevin Reardon and Christina Meyers, heard the words no parent should ever have to hear. Her treatment plan called for 66 weeks of chemotherapy, with her care at the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital in Charlotte, and 28 proton radiation treatments at St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee.

Olivia during treatment, smiling with two thumbs up

02 · Treatment

A thumbs up, every day

Through all of it, Olivia kept her sense of humour and her thumbs up. That thumbs up became a rallying cry, #thumbsupforolivia, and friends and strangers began sending her photos of their own.

Along the way she dropped the puck at a Charlotte Checkers game, co-wrote a book, Llama and Unicorn Heaven, that became a song, and was granted a wish by Make-A-Wish.

Olivia with her sister Bradleigh and parents Christina and Kevin beside the end-of-treatment bell

03 · Ringing the bell

A ten-year-old beats cancer

Olivia finished treatment and rang the bell at Novant Health, the day every family in the clinic prays for.

On July 4, 2023, she led the Indian Trail July 4th parade as Grand Marshal.

Olivia and family presenting the $500,000 pledge to Novant Health

04 · Giving back

A promise kept, a year early

Her family promised to give back to the people and places that stood beside them. That promise became the OliviaStrong Foundation.

For her birthday in 2022, Olivia announced a $500,000 pledge to Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital. The foundation delivered the final $50,000 in 2026, a year ahead of schedule, and has given more than $100,000 to Make-A-Wish and St. Jude.

About the foundation →