(2025) – Abbi, now 17, began her cancer journey at age 15, during the fall of 2023. Up until then, Abbi was an active, athletic high school sophomore. Playing for her high school soccer team and going to school, she found herself with intense stomach pain and discomfort. Following a visit to Howard County General Hospital on December 28th, 2023, bloodwork was taken. Abbi was immediately diagnosed with appendicitis and leukemia, and advised to go directly to the Johns Hopkins Emergency Department.
Upon arrival, Abbi was admitted to the Johns Hopkins pediatric oncology floor and had an appendectomy the next morning. The night after the appendectomy, a group of oncologists and specialists came to her hospital room and officially diagnosed Abbi with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-cell ALL). She met her first attending, Dr. Peng, and her fellow, Dr. Mitrou, who provided the Livay family with lots of medical terms and information for the family to digest. Following recovery from her appendectomy, Abbi started her first round of chemotherapy and was inpatient at Hopkins for two weeks.
When Abbi returned from the hospital, she was immunocompromised and weak from chemotherapy. Abbi was isolated from everything including school, sports, friends, and other activities. Eventually Abbi’s guidance counselor developed a solid school plan for her using a program called Home and Hospital that continued through the end of her sophomore year.
The first three months of chemotherapy were challenging. Her PICC line was replaced by a port at the start of the second month of treatment. This allowed Abbi to be treated in the out-patient clinic. This phase also included home visits by a Hopkins nurse to administer weekly chemo shots during which Abbi experienced extreme nausea, causing significant weight loss. Thankfully, she was able to move to the next phase of her treatment, which included being inpatient every other week for two to four days. Unfortunately, Abbi experienced an episode of neurotoxicity from a lumbar puncture, which led to paralysis in half her body. She also lost her ability to speak and walk. With many unknowns ahead, Abbi’s family hoped for a full recovery, which eventually arrived, leading to the next phase of treatment, delayed intensification.
This phase included a five-day course of steroids every other week and more debilitating chemotherapy, causing significant side effects such as steroid-induced diabetes (hyperglycemia), mood and behavioral changes, typhlitis (an inflammation in the intestine), rhinovirus (the common cold), neutropenia, and a seizure. Initially, her medical team suspected Abbi could have epilepsy and was treated with anti-seizure medication, which she continues to take today. During this phase, Abbi lost all her hair and her eyebrows and eyelashes thinned.
In the next phase, she started an immunotherapy drug called Blinatumomab (Blina), which required her wearing a backpack with a running infusion. Abbi concluded her frontline treatment with extreme nausea and a final round of Blina.
Abbi began Long-Term Maintenance in January 2025, enabling her to return to school, sports, her job, and other activities. Long-term maintenance is intended to keep Abbi in remission until April 2026. This date will mark the end of treatment and the ringing of the bell!
Battling cancer as a young adult is particularly alienating. To help stay connected, Abbi created a club at her high school to raise awareness for pediatric cancer.
Abbi credits her care team at Hopkins for supporting her through her cancer journey. From the nurse practitioner, Ghislaine, to her psychologist, Anna, and to each professional enabling Abbi to work through this horrific cancer journey, Abbi is grateful. Abbi reflects that during her cancer diagnosis and treatment, she has matured and become closer with her family. Along her journey, she met many new friends and found love in raising awareness for pediatric cancer. Abbi’s reflections also include the power of positivity- meeting the challenges of her diagnosis with strength, bravery, and community.
