Ollie Holbird

“Walking is overrated, I want to roll in style” is Ollies slogan for raising funds for a handicap van!

Ollie is a happy, sweet, playful, talkative little guy when he’s comfortable around you. He is a theater nerd like his mama and loves to watch musicals and Broadway plays. His favorite person is his little brother – they enjoy playing “doctor” and board games together. He also loves to have races in his power chair! But due to not having a handicap van, his independence is more limited. He relies on a medical stroller to go to events, friends’ houses, church, or any other adventures. He also has to ride in a medical car seat that he is quickly outgrowing and hurts his scoliosis after just a 30-minute ride. With a handicap van, Ollie will be able to use his independence to drive around in new places and his usual favorite places. His powerchair also has a tilt button that allows him to rest his back/lay down when his hips or scoliosis starts to hurt. He’ll be able to go on longer trips without suffering from uncomfortable positions and being stuck in a stroller while everyone else moves around freely. Ollie knows that God will send him a van in His timing, and that your donations will be part of that journey. We have prayed for this and it is a need.

For those who don’t know or who don’t understand his diagnosis, Ollie was born with Pompe Disease. It is a rare-genetic disease and there are two types. He was diagnosed at 11 months old with the Infantile Onset version. In Gods glory, Oliver was saved from death at 11 months old because almost ALL infant-onset pompe patients that do not receive infusion before 6 months of life, do not make it to a year old. Oliver was in critical condition when it was discovered, but the Lord has blessed his body so much! He receives a weekly 7-hour infusion at the local children’s hospital that provides his body with the enzyme he is missing!!! (Praise God, Pompe disease was added to the SC Newborn Screening test in 2020! We are so, so grateful that future families can start infusion right away and have very few symptoms of Pompe & meet more milestones! Ollie was born in SC in 2019, that’s why it took so long to figure out what was wrong.)

The disease destroyed his leg muscles first. Because Ollie did not have any enzymes in his cells, the sugar in each cell could not be broken down. The cells filled with sugar and burst. The cells unfortunately landed on his leg muscles first. Ollie also struggles with severe scoliosis (that originated when he had 8 episodes of chronic pneumonia in 2022 and was unable to use his equipment due to how sick he was,), heart enlargement, white-matter on his brain, respiratory distress when he gets even a cold, and elevated liver enzymes/lab work. As the Pompe crew says, “Not today, Pompe!” We focus on the blessings of what God has allowed him to overcome, and we focus on the joy that we can have here on Earth and in the future!

Any donation is appreciated. This money goes straight to the company we will be buying the van from. If we reach our goal, whatever money is left can go towards house modifications for his medical needs, medical equipment that insurance wont pay, future van care, etc., FOR HIS ENTIRE LIFE (or until the money is exhausted). We are so grateful for this opportunity!

Family and friends of Ollie are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund a handicap van. Ollie has chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.