Photo provided via CHEO Foundation
From being deemed as failure to thrive after being born at just 23 weeks, to graduating palliative care at four years and now thriving at nine, Olivia Ebert is a walking miracle.
Olivia and her twin brother Liam were born at around five months, and considered micro preemies. An emergency heart surgery followed by countless operations and procedures followed Olivia for the first year of her life, where she lived at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
Liam passed away at three weeks old due to complications from pre-maturity.
Navigating Olivia’s health, mourning the loss of Liam, and parenting a healthy toddler, Jacob, at home was a lot for parents Jamie and Tim Ebert to manage.
But fighting for Oliva’s future was never a question, said Jamie.
Jamie received counselling through Roger Nielson Children’s Hospice during the time Olivia was in palliative care, as well as being offered grief counselling for the loss of Liam. Later, both Olivia and Jacob also received counselling as they processed the loss of their brother.
Ebert couldn’t speak highly enough about the droves of specialists Olivia saw at CHEO. She underwent physio, occupational, speech, and behavioural therapy. At one point, she was even losing her vision.
Olivia went to CHEO School, and has since graduated to a community school. Jamie says she as happy and healthy as any other child, and sometimes reflecting really shows how far she has come.
Olivia was also part of the CHEO Complex Care program, which provides coordinated, family-centred care for children and youth with complex medical needs by bringing together doctors, nurses and a multidisciplinary team to support both patients and their families.
Getting into that program felt like a boulder lifted off the shoulders of Ebert.
Olivia now loves to read, go horseback riding, and do ballet. Ebert said she’s as healthy as any student in her class, with the surgery scars the reminder of how much she’s fought to get here.
Jamie encourages everyone to support the incredible work CHEO is doing by making a donation, as she saw first-hand how far donor dollars go into improving the lives of children and families.
The 2026 CHEO Telethon, which wrapped up it’s two-week campaign over the weekend, raised $604,053 to support families like theirs. You can make a donation anytime at cheofoundation.com.
You can listen to the full interview with Jamie below.
Story by Grant Deme
