Lodi Girl, 10, Battles Cancer While Trying To Avoid Coronavirus
ROSEVILLE (CBS 13) — Avoiding coronavirus while going through chemo, a 10-year-old Lodi girl faces this challenge every week while keeping up with her distance learning.
Olivia Brown comes all the way from Lodi to Kaiser Medical Center in Roseville for chemo each week. When coronavirus hit, her cancer helped her family be much more prepared.
Treatment starts at 9 a.m. every Friday at Kaiser, which is nearly an hour from Olivia's home. She's sent to the front of the line to limit her exposure to people possibly infected with COVID-19.
"I have to wash my hands a lot. I'm not allowed to touch anybody and I have to wear my mask and that's pretty much it," she said.
Olivia was diagnosed with a brain tumor last August. Since then, it's been a tough journey for her and her family. Olivia's mom Katie said her cancer and weakened immune system from chemo meant the family was already prepared when the coronavirus hit Northern California.
READ ALSO: American Isolation: Art Council Of Placer County Hosts Virtual Talent Show
"We definitely wash our hands as soon as we come inside and we change our shirts and we Lysol our bags and all the sudden these regulations came in and were already used to that," said Katie Brown.
Like most kids right now, Olivia is distance learning.
"I love writing class. I always like typing things," she said.
Olivia says she's still getting used to being at home all day and not walking around.
"The chemo infusion takes about two hours so she's able to read, she's able to catch up on a book report," her mom said.
Her parents are both teachers at Lodi Unified School District, so almost everyone in the family is distance learning.
Olivia said she keeps her thoughts are on seeing her friends at school again. She wants them to know: "To try and remember where we were in the game at recess."