28/07/2025
Olivia is a 28 year old living with primary global lymphedema. When she was born, pediatric lymphedema was under researched and under treated. The early part of her childhood was spent trying to find providers willing to help her. While her parents did find the treatment she needed when she turned five (shoutout to Dr. Tammy Mondry), Olivia then had to embark on her most difficult life journey: navigating societal belonging and self acceptance.
For the first two decades of her life, she often hid her swollen limbs behind baggy clothing, determined to avoid the cruel words and stares from others. She rarely said the word “lymphedema”, convinced that if she didn’t name her disease, it would go away. In reality, her pushing away her diagnosis didn’t help anyone, especially herself. It was only when Olivia turned 23 and wrote an article detailing her experiences did she find the lymphedema community she had always longed for. And from then on, she was done with hiding. Her lymphedema is a huge (pun intended) part of her and not something to ignore. Over the past few years, she’s leaned into her diagnosis. She’s found comfort in being authentically herself, lymphedema and all. She’s made so many friends within the community and has found solace at spaces like the National Lymphedema Network Conference and Camp Watchme, the only camp in the country for kids with lymphedema. She proudly shows her compression, and even moved away from her safety net of beige garments to bright, colorful garments that she chooses to accessorize with. Whenever people ask her the rude question: “What’s wrong with you?”, she takes the opportunity to spread lymphedema awareness and education. She’s incredibly proud of her journey and most of all, is so proud to honestly say that she loves herself, in her totality. Olivia’s greatest wish is for everyone with lymphedema, especially the kiddos, to feel the same pride and belonging she now feels.
