First Posted: 4/9/2015
HARDING — She has the cutest laugh and the brightest smile, but it wasn’t always that way for little Olivia Callahan.
The 13-month-old infant from Harding was born with stage four Truncus Arteriosus, a heart defect that has stages of one through four, with four being the most advanced.
Olivia will be the face of this year’s Northeast PA Heart Walk, sponsored by the American Heart Association to raise money for research and heart health awareness.
The Heart Walk includes a 5K non-competitive fitness walk, prizes and activities for participants of all ages and will be held on Saturday, April 25 at Nay Aug Park in Scranton and on Saturday, May 30 at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre. Olivia will be in attendance and will take the honorary first steps to kick off both events.
Normally, the heart has two separate arteries, one that pumps blood to the lungs and another that pumps blood to the rest of the body. Olivia’s heart has only one artery.
Her father, Bob Callahan, 41, said Olivia underwent surgery for the first time when she was just three days old.
“The reason she was living was because of the (umbilical) cord,” said Bob. “She was living off of mom, so that’s why the surgery had to be three days after birth. When she was born, they hooked her up to wires to simulate the umbilical cord and keep her heart going.”
According to the American Heart Association website, of every 1,000 children born each year, at least eight have congenital heart defects.
Olivia’s surgery included a conduit to give her two arteries, but the conduit does not grow with her and she will require additional surgery as she gets older and her body grows.
Although the Callahans knew when Olivia’s mom, Michelle, 31, was pregnant that something was wrong with the baby, they still were unsure of what they would have to deal with once she was born.
“Yes, you kind of get a game plan of what’s going to happen after she’s born but at the same time I had all that time between finding out and, when she was born, I did some research,” said Michelle. “I’m also in a lot of online support groups through social media.”
During her pregnancy, Michelle was hospitalized two months prior to Olivia’s birth with pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure during pregnancy.
The only cure for pre-eclampsia is to remove the baby from the mother’s body; however, due to Olivia’s condition, Michelle was forced to lay in bed for two months prior to the birth.
“Right now, she’s stable,” Michelle said of her daughter. “The problem with the surgery she had is the arteries and veins in her heart can narrow, so the blood flow’s not great. Right now, we’re keeping an eye on that, and just by looking at her, you’d never know what she’s been through.”
Olivia sees numerous doctors, including a cardiologist in Allentown and a pediatrician in Wilkes-Barre. Necessary surgeries are performed at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Olivia’s story hasn’t gone unnoticed. Her participation in this year’s Heart Walks stems from Michelle’s involvement with the American Heart Association.
“I started volunteering after she was born and I actually volunteered at the Heart Walk in Wilkes-Barre last year,” she said. “It was me and Olivia and I was talking to people there, telling her story and they kept us in mind. This year came around and they asked me if I would allow Livy (Olivia) to be the face for the walk and I said ‘Definitely!’”
Although Olivia will not receive any donations from either event, the Callahans agree the exposure helps the family because research will help other children with the same condition as their daughter.
“It helps the doctors and it helps them keep up with technology and it will help future kids who have this like it did with us,” said Bob. “Honestly, if this was 10 or 15 years ago, Olivia wouldn’t be here.”
