In early 2023, Oliver developed extremely painful headaches that caused vomiting. Migraine medication eased the pain, but his mother, Hailee, felt something more serious was wrong. She recalls a moment when Oliver started seeing double, and she knew she had to push for imaging. Despite his doctor being unconcerned, Oliver was sent for a CT scan which ultimately revealed a brain tumor the size of a lemon tucked between his brain stem and cerebellum.
After being whisked away to BC Children’s Hospital, life unraveled quickly. After a nearly 10-hour, high- risk surgery, Oliver was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. His year-long treatment included intense, high-dose chemotherapy that sent him to the ICU. Once chemo ended, he travelled to Seattle for proton radiation.
At a time where they had to step out of work, their lives, and their town, Help Fill a Dream (HFAD) stepped in. HFAD eased the burden with financial support for travel, groceries, and accommodation—and by giving Oliver a Dream to look forward to. Hailee says HFAD’s support let them focus on what mattered: Oliver’s care. “Cancer is all-consuming,” she shared. “It’s not just sadness and emotion—it’s physical, hard work having a child go through chemo.”
When Oliver was too weak to play, the family watched Disney World videos together. Knowing a Dream trip awaited them became a lifeline, giving Oliver motivation to get through treatment.
And he did. Cancer-free, Oliver and his family celebrated in December 2024 with a trip to Florida. While the trip had many highlights, Haliee remarked that at Universal Studios, Oliver discovered a love for rollercoasters—riding the Harry Potter ride three times in 30 minutes! As lifelong Star Wars fans who consumed the shows and movies during hospital stays, another highlight was building custom lightsabers at Galaxy’s Edge. And for Hailee and her husband, a heartwarming highlight was watching Oliver and Alex be treated as equals, not a child with cancer and the sibling. Hailee shared that “these happy memories are starting to overwrite the hard ones”, and they feel so fortunate to hold onto them going forward when life feels uncertain.
