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But she looks fine : from illness to activism
2024
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Kirkus Review
Young activist Goodreau recounts how she became an advocate for people with Lyme disease. In second grade, Goodreau began suffering blackouts, vision loss, and shooting pains. She saw over 50 specialists in one year to no avail; doctors blamed her symptoms on hypochondria or the Colorado altitude. Finally, in third grade, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease--but antibiotics didn't work. Though a doctor declared she'd have Lyme her whole life because of delayed treatment, Goodreau, always adventurous, resolved to get better. She created Lyme fundraising challenges on social media, and celebrities and politicians took up the cause. But school bullies targeted her, and as her fame increased, people even accused Goodreau of faking. Undaunted, Goodreau, who presents White, started the LivLyme foundation at age 12 to help families dealing with Lyme disease. Further advocacy included creating TickTracker, an award-winning app, and helping Sen. Susan Collins pass the Kay Hagan Act, which funded research for tick-borne diseases. Though her narrative is somewhat disjointed, interspersed letters to parents, kids, doctors, researchers, and politicians offer insightful advice. Suggestions include reminding parents to be mindful of their children's feelings, encouraging kids to defend bullied classmates, and urging doctors to be persistent in finding solutions. Acceptance from her new high school classmates and improved health--after a regimen including 86 daily pills and a leprosy drug--provide a hopeful conclusion. Sidebars offer facts about Lyme disease. A tale of persistence amid invisible illness. (Memoir. 12-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Summary
Celebrities have a lot to say about this book*I want to thank you for all the great work you are doing. - Mark Hamil, actor (Star Wars, The Mandalorian, The Sandman)*Olivia is a ten plus year survivor, a true inspiration and has done more in her short life so far, than most ever do in a lifetime. - Ryan Sutter, ABC's Bachelorette*This book will make you stop in your tracks, pay attention, and captivate your heart in a deeply emotional way. It's a story beyond Lyme disease - but a story about a child who grew up having to fight for her life. - Ally Hilfiger, Artist, Designer, Lyme Activist*This young powerhouse knows what it means to start a movement from the grassroots level. She has been selfless and courageous in openly sharing her story. I'm so darn proud to be her Wingman...I'd follow her anywhere. - (Ret.) Colonel Nicole Malachowski, First Female U.S Air Force Thunderbird Pilot*The music world has Aretha, Cher, Madonna & Adele. The Lyme world has Olivia. --Jeff Crater, Co-Founder Center for Lyme ActionThis is the story of how Olivia turned the physical challenges and emotional hardships she had faced since she was a little girl into an engaged life of advocacy for others. So many young people are faced with life-changing hardships--from illness and disease to loss and calamity. What Olivia Goodreau discovers through her journey with chronic Lyme, and what she has been sharing with the world, is that inside of every predicament is also a possibility.
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