MEET OLIVE: A JOURNEY OF FAITH, RESILIENCE, AND ADVOCACY

Olive, originally from Japan, was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) at a young age. With countless hospital visits and surgeries, Olive found comfort and inspiration in the unwavering support from doctors, nurses, and her Christian faith. Growing up in the church and listening to Bible stories, she realized that pursuing a career as a pastor felt like a place she truly belonged—a way to inspire and support others, just as she had been supported.

In 2020, amid the Covid-19 lockdowns, Olive turned to social media to seek connection and found herself engaging with the Japanese NF community on X (formerly Twitter). This led her to share her story with Genetic Disease Plus; an organization with the goal to raise awareness for genetic disorders, where she now has an article published about her journey. Through social media, she also discovered To Smile, a blogging community founded by a mother whose child lives with NF. This space, alongside popular messaging platforms like Line, allowed Olive to connect with others living with similar conditions. Olive considers the growth of her NF knowledge through social media, some of the best and most eye-opening experiences throughout her journey.

Currently, Olive lives in Vancouver to further her studies. After seeing our NF awareness poster on the SkyTrain, she reached out to the Tumour Foundation of BC and quickly committed herself to volunteer at events. At the recent NF Symposium and Leadership Summit, she built meaningful connections and made new friends within the community. She now looks forward to deepening these connections and sharing experiences with her new friends.

The most common symptoms of NF1 include café-au-lait (light brown) spots,neurofibromas (tumours along the nerves), and freckling in areas like the armpits and groin. Olive lives with a tumour on the left side of her face. When discussing her experiences, she’s been open about avoiding certain activities, like tying up her hair or pursuing jobs in the service industry, due to concerns about her appearance. Although she hasn’t personally faced direct discrimination, she has heard stories of others being denied access to hot springs in Japan due to their condition.

One of Olive’s role models is Minami Okochi, a Japanese beauty pageant contestant living with NF. Minami shared her journey of overcoming bullying and embracing her condition with the goal of inspiring others to do the same. Her mission to embrace her condition motivates Olive to continue advocating for awareness.

As Olive prepares to return to Japan in December, she plans to continue building connections and advocating for the NF community. Her objective as a pastor remains strong—to inspire others through faith. At the Tumour Foundation of BC, we are grateful to have Olive as part of our community and are inspired by her journey.