NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – Ten years ago, 3-year-old Olivia Swedberg of North Platte was diagnosed with a terminal cancer. Her family, knowing that the cancer would take her life, decided not to move forward with chemo radiation therapy. Fifty-five days later, Olivia passed from the cancer.
Her mother, Lauressa Gillock, said that Olivia continued to touch the lives of others in multiple ways, one of them being her organ donations to those in need.
“What a gift I’ve been given to be able to sit here and say that my daughter saved others,” Gillock said. “I want everyone to know her name. I want everyone to know Lucas’s name, KeVon, Scott, Angelo, every single one of them were touched by my daughter and her legacy lives on more than I even understand. The ripple effect of organ donation goes so deep.”
Gillock said that she still feels the community’s love every day over the past 10 years. She is incredibly thankful to those who made Olivia’s life so full of joy.
“KNOP TV was huge about covering Olivia during her prom. We sat in this exact same spot to promote the prom and I’m here today in this gorgeous dress from Hirschfeld’s. I walked in and said I have a vision and Abbie just came right through and said we’re going to figure this out,” Gillock said.
To honor the 10-year anniversary of Olivia’s passing, Gillock is asking everyone to take part in a campaign in Olivia’s name. The 10-minute act of kindness campaign.
“I am teaming up with
Live On Nebraska
, I’m meeting with them tomorrow to do my act of kindness in downtown Omaha with Scott. Scott received both of her kidneys, two child’s kidneys can go for one adult male kidney. We’ve had a relationship since her passing and I could not be more grateful for that. It’s helped in my grief and it’s given me purpose for my child’s loss,” Gillock said.
Amongst a loving community during Olivia’s journey was a supportive team of medical professionals who were with the family every step of the way.
“We went and delivered bouquets to these four women. Dr. Lopez, Dr. Jones, Paula Bagnell, she was the ICU nurse, and then her beloved grandma and babysitter, Linda. We spent the morning doing that,” Gillock said.
Gillock wants to encourage anyone and everyone to participate in the campaign because it doesn’t take much to be kind, sometimes all you need is 10 minutes.
“We’re asking people to do a simple 10-minute act of kindness, something for somebody else,” Gillock said. “Take 10 minutes out of your day to share an act of kindness, whether that be giving someone a compliment, buying the person behind you a coffee, go pick up the trash that you’ve been staring at at your neighbor’s house, just go pick it up. Whatever it may be, something that’s kind for someone else because it’s just such a short life.”
You can learn more about the campaign
here
.
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