LiviDoodles is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that was founded to honor an amazing girl and artist that left this world at the young age of 14 due to complications from a little-known heart defect or condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). LiviDoodles is still evolving and our goals, dreams and organization may change over the coming years. As of today, LiviDoodles’ three primary objectives are to provide: art supplies to the University of Maryland Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, annual scholarships to the Baltimore School for the Arts and/or the Maryland Institute College of Art, and to spread awareness and education about WPW.
First, a little about our namesake, Olivia Sophia Anderson, aka, LiviDoodles and Livi. Livi was born on February 1, 2003. As soon as she could walk, if she could get her hands on any type of writing instrument (pencil, pen, marker, etc.), she was caught doodling on whatever she could reach, from walls to sofas to railings, and everything in-between. Throughout Livi’s life her art skills transformed into amazing works that spanned many mediums from sketching to special effects makeup. On February 14, 2017, Livi’s heart stopped just before she was to awake for the school day. Despite the hard work from paramedics, nurses, doctors and all other heroic hospital personnel at Baltimore Washington Medical Center and the University of Maryland Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and despite the many prayers from family, friends, chaplains and loved ones, Livi left this world on February 16, 2017.
In the days that followed, Livis’s mom, Trina, met many friends and friends’ parents of Livi. While Trina knew what an amazing child she raised, she was amazed at the impact Livi had on so many people’s lives. Livi was someone who always stood up for the underdog. Whether on the school bus or in school Livi took up for others and made people feel better with her jokes, faces and other silly antics. Trina also found out that Livi was known for her always-changing hair color. Her classmates would try to guess what the next hair color would be. All this wonderful information that was relayed to Trina helped to inspire one of our current objectives of the charity.
Objective #1- LiviDoodles’ first objective is designed in the spirit of Livi’s desire to help others that need a helping hand and her love of art. LiviDoodles desires to work with the Baltimore-area school systems to identify students who have amazing artistic talent, have a desire to pursue their education in the field of art, and do not come from a family or environment that has the means to afford such an education. Like Livi, LiviDoodles wants to find an underdog and lend a helping hand to help the underdog realize their dreams. One important requirement is that the recipient agrees to lend time helping children that are either in the University of MD PICU or have family members or loved ones that are in the hospital, to create works of art to aid in their healing.
Objective #2- LiviDoodles’ second objective is to provide art supplies to the University of MD PICU. For two agonizing days Livi fought a tough battle. During those two days the University of MD Child Life Specialists brought art supplies of various types to Livi’s room and worked with her brothers, mom and stepdad to create works of art that incorporated Livi’s and her family’s handprints, hand and finger molds, and other items that could be kept forever as Livi’s final masterpieces. This therapy meant more to the family than could ever be expressed. It helped them tremendously to get through those agonizing days ; the art that was created will be cherished forever. LiviDoodles wants to give back and provide whatever it can to allow the Child Life Specialists to help other children and families get through their tough times and to heal. The long-term goal is to create a LiviDoodles Art Studio in hospitals across the nation where children and families, whether patients or loved ones of patients, can go to to escape from the stress, pain, hurt and anguish, to heal or just escape from the moment by creating whatever masterpieces that are within their imaginations.
Objective #3- The third and final objective of LiviDoodles is to provide awareness and education about WPW. Most people have never heard of WPW. People rarely die from this syndrome, but it can be fatal. However, it does not need to be fatal as there is an outpatient procedure that will cure WPW. LiviDoodle’s third objective will do whatever it can to spread the word and prevent what happened to Livi from happening to others.
Please stay tuned and watch the evolution of LiviDoodles. Our objectives may change, but LiviDoodles is committed to looking out for the underdog, promoting healing through art, and preventing further deaths related to WPW. Watch for upcoming events and participate or donate when able. Join us in keeping Olivia Sophia Anderson’s creativity, kindness and memory alive!