Saving Liv — Erin Stoop

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Erin Stoop’s daughter Olivia (Liv) was diagnosed in 2022 at the age of 2 with mucopolysaccharidosis type 3B, aka Sanfilippo syndrome. Erin was working as a full-time spinal cord injury pharmacist, but as Liv’s medical needs increased, Erin stepped back to part time. She has enjoyed spending more time with her kids. They live in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Erin has been sharing Liv’s story on social media since her diagnosis and hopes to continue sharing the daily trials of parenting a child with a rare, terminal genetic disorder.

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The support system that allows my special needs child to thrive

A parent of a special needs child or someone who works in the public school system would undoubtedly be familiar with the letters IEP, which stand for Individualized Education Program. An IEP is a plan used to help ensure that a student with a disability receives accommodations, therapies, and goals…

Erin Stoop

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I’m finally seeing a therapist, 3 years after my daughter’s diagnosis

I started seeing a therapist a few weeks ago. It’s something I’ve debated doing since my daughter, Liv, was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome three and a half years ago. Many friends and family members mentioned that it would be a good idea, given the neurodegenerative and terminal nature of…

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Feeding our toddler with Sanfilippo syndrome can be stressful

Many parents find feeding a toddler challenging, resulting in frustrating mealtimes. At this age, kids can be very picky and easily distracted. For our 5-year-old daughter, Liv, who has Sanfilippo syndrome, almost every meal is a struggle. As a nearly full-time stay-at-home mom, I tend to organize and prepare…

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It’s hard to stay positive when Sanfilippo is so cruel

When our daughter, Olivia, was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome three years ago at the age of 2, it felt like a dark cloud had settled over our family. During the week that followed, we took time off work and, through tears, shared the news with close family and friends,…

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How my daughter with Sanfilippo handles birthday parties

My 5-year-old daughter, Liv, has Sanfilippo syndrome, a form of childhood Alzheimer’s. In her current phase of the disease, she’s hyper, impulsive, and has no sense of danger. Cognitively, she’s akin to a 1 year old. That makes play dates and birthday parties a large challenge. Liv…

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I hadn’t anticipated being a stay-at-home mom, but it works for us

I used to be a career-driven woman. I graduated from pharmacy school in 2011, worked retail pharmacy for four years, then transitioned to a hospital setting and completed a post-graduation pharmacy residency. In 2019, when I became a mother eight years into my career, I envisioned myself as being a…

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I’m hopeful about the future of Sanfilippo syndrome type B

It’s been more than three years since our daughter, Liv, was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome type B. And in that time, our family has raised close to half a million dollars — $452,000, to be exact — for the Cure Sanfilippo Foundation. This money goes toward research and support…

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Forever a toddler: Grieving the independent child I’d dreamed of

“I can’t wait to be out of the diaper phase,” I remember thinking as we prepared to potty train our daughter, Liv, when she turned 2. I think it’s natural for any parent to look forward to the next phase, even though the next phase always comes with a new…

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