The saying, “girls just want to have fun” rings true for Omaha native Lori, whose sim
ple Dream was to bust out of her hospital room to visit some of her favorite old hangouts. Lori, who is living with esophageal cancer and resides at Douglas County Health Center is limited by her condition because she can no longer enjoy her favorite foods or come and go as she pleases. Still, thanks to her strong faith, constant stream of visitors, and Douglas County Health Center’s extremely caring staff, Lori finds plenty of reasons to smile.
Lori’s amazing social worker from AseraCare Hospice noticed one day that Lori wasn’t smiling as much as usual and jumped into action, nominating her to receive a Dream. Lori told us that she wanted nothing more than to get out and about with her care team for an afternoon of shopping. This simple dream presented some challenges due to Lori’s complicated transfer needs, but Douglas County Health Center came to the rescue by dedicating a wheelchair van and sending staff members Megan and Sabra to join in on the fun!
The late summer heatwave broke just in time for Lori’s big day. In the spirit of Labor Day weekend, Lori wore a beautiful red, white, and blue dress and accessories for the outing. Dreamweaver gave her a festive red star purse that contained a gift card to spend. Because a joyride isn’t complete without good music, we also gave Lori a small collection of CD’s by her favorite artists, Ray Charles and Etta James. Lori directed the van to go downtown to the Old Market. She made a point to stop at Hollywood Candy, where the owner went the extra mile to adhere to the facility’s Covid policy by creating an outdoor display for Lori to peruse. No longer able to enjoy the sweets herself, big-hearted Lori purchased candy for her favorite staff to enjoy. She had fun exploring a sidewalk sale at the Old Market where she purchased a few clothing items, including an uplifting t-shirt that read, “Best Summer Ever.” As a woman of faith, it was no surprise that Lori spent the last of her gift card on a Bible from Jackson Street Booksellers.
After the Old Market, Lori wanted to show her friends her childhood home in Benson. Lori teared up as she rode by, overwhelmed by the happy memories she spent there and marveling at how the neighborhood has changed over time. The tears didn’t last long, and by the time the van pulled up to Douglas County Health Center, Lori was back to her usual smiley self and feeling happy and grateful for a chance to live her simple Dream.
Dreamweaver Foundation would like to thank AseraCare Hospice for introducing us to Lori through our nomination process. We would also like to thank Douglas County Health Center for their dedication and support to help to Lori’s Dream come true!
