Rebecca and Team Oliver have been joining us for 13 years. I remember seeing their team and all the children playing soccer and hanging out on blankets to enjoy the music after the run. 

I recently reached out to Rebecca, Oliver’s mom, to share about their participation and Oliver’s blood cancer journey.

 “We have been participating since 2010 — that was the year Oliver was first diagnosed. I really don’t know how we found the Leukemia Research Foundation but somehow we were introduced to the cause.

Oliver was diagnosed on May 18, 2010 at the age of three and we walked in the ABC7 Gibbons 5K Run and 3K Walk fundraiser the very next month and have been walking/running ever since.

Our team has grown since then and we are very grateful for all of the support we have received.

The soccer ball was always around in our family. Oliver and his brother Mateo were always kicking the ball around, the love of soccer passed to them from their father.

Oliver absolutely enjoyed the run every year! At first, being pushed in a wagon or stroller, then walking, and eventually strong enough to run it! 

He was so proud of himself that year. He even had a battle wound to prove it as he had a fall along the way. But just like Oliver he got up, dusted himself off, and finished his run.

He loved being part of doing something that could potentially help himself or other kiddos just like him. 

I appreciate you thinking of and remembering my baby, he is missed oh so very much. I know he is looking down on us and proud that we continue to fight, raise funds and awareness, and just stick together in his memory”.

Sadly, Oliver lost his battle with leukemia just shortly after our run/walk on July 1, 2017.