Sunrise Family

The Perkins Family and Touched by Olivia Foundation

Posted: Mar 07, 2007 at 3.01pm

Welcome! As of this month 'Caring For Our Families' has been introduced to the Sunrise Family website.

Each month we will profile one of our wonderful families who have agreed to tell their story and share their experiences. As you will come to see, the stories will be uplifting, inspiring, courageous...and some will pull at your heart strings.

The purpose of our monthly family feature is to support and encourage families who may be going through a life changing experience or deserve recognition for their achievement. By sharing their story we hope that we can give our families the motivation to continue touching the lives of others. It's our little way of saying 'we care'.

This month, and our very first family profile, we introduce the Perkins family. This is their story....

The Perkins Family and Touched by Olivia Foundation

Last weekend (March 3) we would have celebrated our little girl Olivia's first birthday. It has been 3½ months since Olivia died of complications from a very rare disease called Lymphangioma. Lymphangioma is a malformation of the lymphatic system, the treatment of which is unpredictable. Olivia spent her last 3 weeks in the intensive care unit at Sydney Children's Hospital. She was in the best of care. We are forever grateful to the doctors and nurses who looked after Olivia like she was their own child.

Olivia's death has left us with an immeasurable pain. Our world has been forever rocked. We know that life for us, and that of our 2½ year old son, William, will never be the same again. We have realised over these months since Olivia's passing, that time can be a friend but it can also be a foe. It's what we do with our time that will help us through our pain.

For us therefore, it was an almost automatic response to found our charity in honour of our beautiful daughter. We have called it "Touched by Olivia". Through our Foundation, we hope to extend Olivia's touch by raising vital funds to give our children a healthier and happier life. We will do this through:

1. Funding medical research into rare diseases through our support of the Sydney Children's Hospital;
2. Partnering with local communities/councils (including our own City of Canada Bay Council) to install or upgrade playgrounds to an All Access standard so children of all abilities can safely enjoy outdoor, active play. We hope to call these playgrounds "Livvi's Place" with 2 scheduled this year; and
3. Partnering with other children's charities that focus on the 0-6 year age group, such as Good Beginnings Australia, to help children and their families develop the necessary skills for a happier and healthier life.

We feel this is Olivia's message to us and we know that her life, as short as it was, definitely had a purpose.

We will officially launch Touched by Olivia at our charity "Butterfly Ball" on Friday 30 March 2007. The event is being held at Le Montage, Leichhardt and will be attended by over 700 people. We are confident that we will raise over $100,000 on the night. It will be a very special evening. Other fundraisers will happen during the year both in Sydney and Brisbane. Touched by Olivia is our family's lifetime commitment.

The "butterfly" theme is also extremely significant. Butterflies symbolise new life, freedom and beauty. Touched by Olivia's logo also features a butterfly, so beautifully made from Olivia's own handprints - her own personal touch to our wonderful cause. We have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity of family, friends and even complete strangers (now very much a part of Olivia's touch). We hope that we can provide a means for others who are suffering their own loss to connect with a worthy cause and find some meaning through their pain.

We invite you to support us in any way you choose. Please visit our website http://www.touchedbyolivia.com.au/ for more information.

To our beautiful angel, daughter, little sister and play mate.....Olivia.

Justine, John and Will Perkins

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