It was the best before and after photo a kid could ask for.
Five-year-old Olivia Frost watched Friday from afar in Vancouver as her sister Calista, mom Amanda, teachers and classmates had their hair tied back ready to be hacked off in her honour.
Later, she phoned in again to see her seven-year-old sister's shaved head and the rest of the assembly at Heritage elementary school, who'd just helped raise more than $6,200 for juvenile cancer research over the last two days.
That's not including the 44 people who had their hair cut or shaved to donate to Wigs For Kids.
Olivia would be in Kindergarten at Heritage if she weren't undergoing leukemia treatment at BC Children's Hospital. After a long eight months, it's looking like she might make it home - and to her desk - before Christmas.
Olivia's prognosis is good, said Amanda, because she has the most common form of the disease and her bone marrow is no longer producing leukemic cells.
The rest of Olivia's treatment is getting rid of what's left and reducing her risk of relapse - and that's a lot better than many families they meet at Ronald McDonald House, where they stay with as many as 73 sick children.
"It's the worst thing that's ever happened to us, but it's not the worst thing that could have happened to us," said Amanda.
A young boy waiting for a heart transplant died this summer, and a boy who Olivia befriended died last month.
"Life is now not what I ever guessed or wanted for our future, but at least I know we have one and it's changed our perspective huge and in a positive way. I appreciate things a lot more than I used to," she said.
"Your world comes to a screeching halt. All the hopes and future that you pre-imagined for yourself and for her and as a family... Suddenly you're like 'Oh that's all gone.' You go into worry mode and you just focus day to day on everything."
The family took Olivia down to B.C. Children's Hospital in February when she was complaining of sore legs. A few tests later and she'd been diagnosed with leukemia. She hasn't been back to Prince George since.
The family calls it their new normal.
For a time, when it was at the worst, normal meant Olivia couldn't walk. Now, normal means the family is split with father Nathan living with Olivia, and Amanda is back at work teaching at Duchess Park secondary school and Calista is in school as the family tries not to disrupt her education.
Being apart is probably the hardest part, but people have been incredibly supportive when they ask for help and one family even offered to pay for her next flight to visit Olivia.
"It's opened my eyes to how fantastic Prince George is."
Through it all, Olivia has been a trooper. She recently adopted a catchphrase when she hears about people who want to help.
"Her saying since the summer that it's been melting her heart," said Amanda with a laugh.
Principal Linda Picton praised the family and Olivia and said she was so pleased to see the support.
"I'm blown away. My heart was full," she said, adding the school hopes to see Olivia in the hall very soon.
"We're all just there for her."
