Someone You Should Know: Brave 2-year old named CMN Champion

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A brave young Brandon girl was recently named Sanford Health’s Children’s Miracle Network champion.

Lena Olivier is a happy 2-year old, always on the move.

“She just loves life,” said Lena’s mom Melissa.

But her young life hasn’t been easy.

“About two hours after she was born, she was on a plane heading to get a pacemaker put in because she had developed complete heart block in utero,” said Melissa.

Since then, Lena has gone thru five major surgeries.

“I think total she’s had 15 hospitalizations for a total of 100 days. Some not very long, some were a lot longer than we wanted,” said Melissa.

But you’d never know what she’s been through, watching this active toddler play with her older sister Kambry. She was recently named a Children’s Miracle Network Champion.

“Every year we choose a champion to represent Sanford Children’s Hospital. And we like to have a family that is already involved and is a great advocate for him. And that’s what the Olivier family is for us. And you then you add Lena’s little feisty personality and his sweet little smile,” said the Sanford Foundation’s Bethany Olson.

“So she will kind of be the face of Sanford Children’s Hospital and Sanford Children’s Miracle Network. It’s a huge honor,” said Melissa.

“When you go into Walmart during their campaign for us in the summer. You’ll see Lena’s face in the photos. Same thing with Miracle Treat Day. She’ll be on the posters that will be in the Dairy Queens,” said Bethany.

And the best part of all for Lena...

“They expect her to live a full, happy life,” said Melissa.

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