Girl with a terminal illness fulfills her dream to appear in The Nutcracker

Olivia Francis dreamed of dancing in the famous Christmas ballet The Nutcracker, but just a year after taking dance lessons, she was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition.

The nine-year-old from Oklahoma, USA, was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia – a terminal condition that affects her ability to walk.

But determined to fulfill her daughter’s wish, Olivia’s mother, Mary, contacted the Oklahoma City Ballet to see if they could help.

Together they were able to come up with a new role especially for Olivia – a girl named Marie who uses an old wheelchair.

Olivia made her stage debut on December 10 and will perform until December 18.

Although Olivia said it wasn’t like she imagined starring in the famous ballet, she said, “I’m really thankful.”

The schoolgirl has long loved Russian ballet – she even wrote about it in her first-grade notebook.

But in 2020, Olivia was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia – a genetic disorder that damages the spinal cord, peripheral nerves and part of the cerebellum.

It is unlikely that Olivia will ever be able to walk again and there is currently no cure for Friedreich’s ataxia.

But Mary knew she had to do something to help her daughter.

Olivia said she cried when she heard the news that she would finally be able to perform on stage in her ballet flats. Clips during rehearsals show her being led onto the stage holding a toy doll. She also interferes with her arms in the choreography.

She also said that while she was nervous about taking part, she loved making friends with the other dancers in the company.

And when she took the stage, Racheal Nye, the director of the Oklahoma City Ballet, said, “Everybody’s looking at her.

“It’s very special to see her on stage. It inspired everyone around her.”

Meanwhile, Mary said she had tears in her eyes as she watched her daughter achieve her dream.