Save the day with Parker Lococo

No parent ever wants to hear that his or her child is sick, much less sick with an incurable, degenerative disease that can cause bone deformities, learning disabilities and cancer.

But that’s exactly what happened to Olivia Lococo, U.S. Navy reservist and legal studies major at UHCL.

In 2010, Parker Lococo was born a healthy, happy baby boy, but at four months of age, Olivia noticed abnormal eye movement. She took Parker to an ophthalmologist who felt he was too young for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and was dismissive of Olivia’s concerns.

A few months later, Parker had a cold and Olivia took him to see his pediatrician. Upon seeing him, the pediatrician urged Olivia to take Parker to get an emergency MRI due to Parker’s worsening eye movement, or nystagmus, and his enlarged head.

Olivia took him to Texas Children’s Hospital, where a CT scan was performed.

“I’ll never forget it,” Olivia said. “[The doctor] came into the room, walked over to the wall and braced herself.”

The CT scan revealed a mass in Parker’s brain. He was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic condition that causes tumor formation in the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There are three subsets of neurofibromatosis: NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis.

Parker needed immediate surgery to have a shunt inserted into his brain to alleviate brain fluid build-up.

The shunt was successful; the nystagmus stopped. But two weeks later, Parker’s belly was hard and swollen. The shunt had failed and Parker’s belly was holding two liters of fluid.

Parker would undergo 87 weeks of chemotherapy.

After treatment, the brain tumor shrunk over halfway, and Parker’s health stabilized. He is now 6 years old and loves going to school. His mother, Olivia hopes to go to law school after graduating from UHCL.

Parker, who wants to be a fire-fighter or a police officer when he grows up, and Olivia were invited by the Houston Fire Department – Station 94 to visit the fire station.

“We love it when Parker comes by,” said Nigel Codrington, captain of the a-shift. “We think he’s really brave, and he inspires us.”

In August, Parker went in for a routine MRI and the doctors found that the tumor had grown, but due to its location, behind the eye, it is inoperable.

Parker began a 52-week round of chemo on August 18.

In order to improve the efficacy of treatment, Parker needs genetic testing to determine which type of neurofibromatosis he has. Without a definitive diagnosis, Parker risks a chemotherapy treatment that could cause leukemia.

Olivia’s military TRICARE insurance covers only two of the three tests Parker needs, but the lab can’t single out the two the insurance will cover and run those alone.

The UHCL Office of Veteran Services hosted a raffle to help raise the money needed for Parker’s test. The raffle was drawn on Sept. 28, and the goal of $1500 was exceeded, although it’s still not quite enough to cover the test. At this time there is no crowdfunding set up for Parker’s medical expenses.

While Olivia is busy juggling her studies, military service and taking care of Parker, she finds her motivation from seeing her son’s daily fight.

“I get my strength from him,” Olivia said. “If he can do this, I can do this.”