Olivia Caldwell Foundation’s Fight Against Children’s Cancer

The Casper community will come together this weekend, to raise money for childhood cancer research all in the name of a little girl who bravely battled the disease. Our Kimberly Barroteran shares Olivia Caldwell’s story. 

Katie burchett found out her daughter Olivia was diagnosed with brain cancer when she was just four months old.

“Even though I knew she was having some health problems, I never would have imagined that a four month old could have cancer. And so it was a tremendous shock and just kind of sent us into the next about year and a half of helping her try and fight that battle.”

Olivia endured several port surgeries, countless mri’s, numerous hospitalizations and months of chemotherapy, which showed some signs of progress before declining again.

“And unfortunately, it did not go our way. And she ended up passing when she was 20 months old.”

And ever since Katie’s world changed, she is now dedicated to live her daughter’s legacy through The Olivia Caldwell Foundation. The nonprofit funds pediatric cancer research, and their local clinic for specialists to see children without them having to travel out of state.

“Why we have the different pieces of our mission is because I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like to have a child that’s sick. So not only did Olivia have brain cancer and we had to travel for treatment for that, but then the day after her funeral, her twin brother was diagnosed with type one diabetes. And so for the past almost ten years, we’ve been traveling back and forth to Denver so that he can see his endocrinologist. And it’s really taxing. It’s really hard on families.”

And with the butterfly ball, one of their largest fundraisers coming up this Saturday, Katie says it brings Olivia’s love of butterflies and getting dressed up together.

“It’s a really special labor of love for us because it’s so personal to what Olivia would have loved in a fundraiser. We have no doubt that she is looking down and seeing that there are people who are dressed up and there’s butterflies everywhere and people are coming together to support a good cause in her name that will support other kids I know would make her so happy.

Kimberly Barroteran, Your Wyoming Link Casper.