Olivia's Wish

Olivia's wish to meet Antonio Banderas!

At the young age of 13, Olivia already has the grace of a woman meant for wonderful things. Despite medical problems beginning just nine months after she was born, and a long nine years before a diagnosis was ever reached, Olivia retains the sparkle of innocence. Her warmth radiates from her bright smile and kind eyes, leaving one to wonder why her journey has been tougher than most other children her age.

Looking at Olivia, you would never know she has a dilapidating condition - one of the factors people diagnosed with mitochondrial disease struggle with on a daily basis. Known as an "invisible disease," mitochondrial disease is a chronic, genetic disorder that occurs when the mitochondria of the cell fails to produce enough energy for cell or organ function. According to her mother, Kirsten, a consultant for an informational website about the condition, www.mitoaction.org, some children born with the disease die within five minutes. Despite the day to day trials of dealing with her condition, Olivia and her family maintain a positive attitude and are confident in her strength. "I'm not going anywhere," Olivia says.

Since the disease is relatively new with no reliable and consistent means of diagnosis, no cure is readily available. However, Olivia and her family have renewed hope due to a study that is being done with children who have responded well to medications that, by the time Olivia reaches age 18, could potentially develop an inhaler that could help with her symptoms. This is even better news, since Olivia's older brother, Harrison, is also in the early stages of diagnosis at age seventeen.

In true big brother/little sister fashion, Harrison and Olivia are there for one another through the ups and downs of the illness. Kirsten explained that despite the invasive and uncomfortable procedures Olivia has had to endure, it is like watching a "scene from the Exorcist" trying to give her a simple throat culture. Harry has been a great guinea pig, stepping in and dealing with the uncomfortable test so that Olivia can opt out. With constant absences from school and limitations placed on their physical activity, Olivia and Harry still manage to keep smiles on their faces. Maybe it is the family's philosophy and appreciation for "abbondanza!" - or abundance, for those of us who don't speak Italian, that helps them stay so upbeat.

Another reason for the family to be smiling these days could be attributed to the Wish trip they took to Los Angeles, California - to meet Antonio Banderas!

About four years ago, when Olivia was far sicker, she had the desire to play a sport, but due to restrictions because of her condition, she was at a loss for what she could do. Olivia was introduced to the wonders of fencing - and has loved it ever since. With her appreciation for the sport, the movie "Zorro" intrigued her with the main character’s fast-paced fencing scenes, demonstrating both old and new styles. With a great deal of time spent indoors, Olivia poured over her DVDs, watching Director's Commentaries and the Special Features portions of her favorite actor's works - including "Zorro" and the "Shrek" series. Once referred to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Rhode Island, Olivia's wish was never a question - to meet, and possibly fence, with her favorite actor.

"Olivia! You are so beautiful!" was the first thing Banderas had to say to Olivia as she was wheeled into the room to meet him. In her true character, she replied, "Thanks - you are too!" With only a few moments of an awe-struck pause, Olivia launched into easy and casual conversation, "just like she was talking to her brother," described Mom Kirsten. Armed with questions, Olivia inquired about everything from Antonio's fencing abilities and her favorite scenes from his films, to a discussion regarding the book and DVD, The Secret, based on a theory regarding the universe and the law of attraction as influenced by a positive state of mind. Olivia was most impressed to learn that Antonio had taken the time to actually learn to fence, rather than simply perform choreographed moves in his films, and Antonio shared with her that he had the opportunity to train with the Spanish Olympic Fencing team while his daughter, Stella, was born in Spain.

Described as charismatic and by no means pretentious by Olivia's parents, Antonio's kindness and caring nature touched Olivia's heart. He was beyond impressed with her strength and character, and was truly curious about the details regarding Olivia's condition. He was happy to share with Olivia behind-the-set secrets about some of her favorite scenes, including the one in Zorro where his character's horse was shown drinking vodka and smoking a pipe - as a true gentleman, Antonio prefaced the explanation with an apology to Olivia's parents about the adult content, who he dubbed "Mama and Papa." Antonio graciously autographed Olivia's DVDs, and even her own fencing jacket that her parents are having displayed in a shadow-box at her home.

While the visit with Antonio was by far the highlight of the trip, the family had many more adventures during their stay in LA, including a private tour of Dreamworks Studios where Olivia impressed the tour guides with her in-depth knowledge of animation. During their visit, not only did the family get to enjoy the amazing atmosphere of landscaped topiaries, man-made rivers flowing under the walkways, the gourmet eatery, and foosball tables at every corner, Olivia was able to see some of the animation pieces featured on her favorite DVDs and her brother Harry was able to test out a brand new video game!

In addition to the wonderful people she met during the trip, Olivia's favorite part was the Santa Monica Pier. During their shopping extravaganzas at the Third Street Promenade, Olivia and her family picked up some styling Ray Bans and even funnier memories from the Sunglass Hut. Returning home with a portrait done by an artist on the pier, a CD of music from the pier’s talented performer, Terry Prince, and a whole slew of postcards, Olivia was delighted to see clips of the pier appear on one of her favorite shows, The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Even moreso, the reality of her visit with Antonio hit home when she saw his appearance on American Idol - wearing the same jacket he had worn when he hugged her not even weeks before.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Rhode Island is grateful to Mr. Antonio Banderas for finding time in his busy schedule to grant Olivia's greatest wish, and for bringing her moments in time that she and her family will cherish forever.

757 Park Avenue ~ Cranston, Rhode Island ~ 02910
401-781-WISH (9474) ~ Fax 401-781-9475