Agnes never imagined her life in Mallorca would take such a dramatic turn. Originally from Hungary, she spent years living in the UK before relocating to the island with her family, her husband Robert and their children RoPi and Olivia. “We wanted a better quality of life, more sunshine, and a slower pace,“ she explains. “It felt like the right place to raise our children.” Mallorca offered an idyllic setting, and Agnes embraced the expat lifestyle, building a home and a community.
“Our lives were happy and full, and we were constantly grateful for the wonderful family we had built. We felt fortunate every single day. But everything changed from one day to another,“ Agnes says. “We are now reaching out with the heaviest hearts because our little Olivia, just 4 years old, has been through an unimaginable battle, and our family has been shattered by it.”
Agnes and her lovely family.
Just days after her third birthday, Olivia was diagnosed with a rare and devastating autoimmune disease called Neuromyelitis Optica (also known as Devic’s Syndrome), which left her paralyzed from the chest down. “This illness struck out of nowhere, turning our world upside down,“ Agnes explains. “In what felt like the blink of an eye, our happy, normal life was replaced with uncertainty, fear, and a daily struggle for hope.”
What happened to Olivia
On the night of July 4th, 2023, Olivia suddenly woke up in tears. “She was sitting by her bed, crying loudly, and complaining of back pain,“ Agnes recalls. “Being only three, she couldn’t explain exactly what she felt. We tried to comfort her, but when we realised she couldn’t stand, we rushed to the hospital.”
Doctors initially found nothing alarming and sent them home. “By morning, however, everything changed,“ Agnes says. “Olivia had developed a fever, vomited, and her arms and legs had become flaccid. We returned to the hospital, but by that point, she had lost movement in her entire body.”
What followed was every parent’s worst nightmare. Olivia was paralyzed from the neck down and spent almost two months in the hospital, much of it in the ICU. “Within a few days, she started regaining movement in her arms, but her legs remained paralyzed,“ Agnes explains. “She was battling, and we were trying hard not to breakdown as we watched her push us away. Due to the trauma and medications, she was not herself and refused to let us touch or hug her for weeks.”
Olivia’s immune system failure caused her body to attack itself, damaging the protective myelin around her spinal cord and behind her right eye. “Her brain lost contact with her lower body, and that’s why she became paralyzed,“ Agnes says. “Her immune system had to be suppressed to stop the attack, and her body had to be flushed of the harmful antibodies it had mistakenly produced.” Despite treatments—including steroids, immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis—Olivia’s condition has left her facing enormous challenges. “Her neck and arms have recovered, her body only partially and legs not.”
Olivia is bravely working hard at her treatment centre in Toledo.
The difficult decision to relocate
Faced with the need for intensive rehabilitation, the family had to make a heartbreaking choice. “We had no option but to leave our home in Mallorca and move to Toledo for Olivia’s treatment,“ Agnes explains. “Mallorca simply doesn’t have the resources she needs. We had to give Olivia the best chance of recovery.” The family was uprooted from their home on the island and found themselves isolated and navigating a new healthcare system in an unfamiliar city. “It was daunting,“ Agnes admits. “We didn’t know anyone, and everything was new, but we had to focus on Olivia.”
The clinic in Toledo provided Olivia with intensive physical therapy. “It’s not just about her body—it’s also crucial for her emotional and mental well-being,“ Agnes says. “For a four-year-old, overcoming this trauma is as important as the physical recovery. Thanks to the amazing staff, she is slowly becoming her cheerful, chatty self again.”
Her neck and arms have recovered, her body only partially and legs not.
Why they need your help
“Olivia is undergoing intensive physical therapy, and we have found an incredible clinic that supports her in every way,“ Agnes explains. “But this therapy is expensive, and we simply cannot continue to afford it on our own.” The family has exhausted their savings to give Olivia the best possible care. “We are asking for help to ensure she can continue on this path of recovery,“ Agnes says. “It is a critical period in her development, and the therapy she receives now will give her the best possible chance to walk again.”
“Our goal is to provide Olivia with this life-changing therapy for at least another year—hopefully even more if we can,“ she continues. “Every contribution, no matter the size, helps bring us one step closer to giving our daughter a future where she has a better quality of life.”
The family faces another major decision: where to go next. “Toledo has been good for Olivia, but we’re torn. Mallorca is our home. Our hearts are there. But the best treatment is in Madrid, and moving there would be even more expensive. We don’t know what to do.” With each decision comes new challenges. “Olivia’s school, our son’s education, our jobs—everything is uncertain. But we have to keep going,“ Agnes says.
One thing is certain: Agnes will never stop fighting for her daughter. “We take it one day at a time,“ she says. “We believe in Olivia. We believe in her strength. And we will never stop fighting for her.” For those who want to support Olivia’s journey, donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/helpoliviawalkagain. “We are eternally grateful for any support you can offer. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
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