The American Red Cross recently named a girl from Matteson one of its 2018 heroes because she dedicated her birthday party to help other children suffering from sickle cell disease.
Instead of wanting a party or even birthday gifts, Olivia Shorter, 7, decided late last summer she wanted an event to raise awareness about the effects of sickle cell disease, and where blood donations would be accepted for those with the blood disorder.
Olivia knows what these children go through because she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was just seven days old and has undergone dozens of blood transfusions as well as surgery last year to remove her spleen.
She met other children with sickle cell disease during her stays at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
“It really makes me cry, for her to have gone through so much and here she just still cares about other children,” said Olivia’s mother, Danielle Shorter.
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