Elgin Boy Named March Of Dimes National Ambassador
(CBS) -- 12-year-old 7th grader Elijah Jackson from Elgin is a happy and active kid but his mother Elise said it wasn't always that way.
"Elija was born three months premature. He was on one pound, one ounce," said Jackson's mother Elise.
Initially, he was given only a 10 percent chance to survive. He endured several surgeries and years of speech and occupational therapy but his mom says now he enjoys a full life. Today, Elijah's speech is greatly improved but he still has developmental delays and is enrolled in special education classes.
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"By looking at him, you'd never know he was so small, he loves basketball, karate. He's a happy, happy kid."
Now, he's been named the March of Dimes 2015 National Ambassador. The March of Dimes National Ambassador Program is an annual campaign, started in 1946, that puts a face on the March of Dimes mission.
"As the official ambassador, is to go around, share his story, put a face with his story and gain support for the March of Dimes to further the mission," said Jackson.
Like Elijah, about 450,000 babies are born too soon in the United States each year. Pre-term birth (birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy) is the leading cause of newborn death, and babies who survive an early birth often face an increased risk of a lifetime of health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and others. It is a serious health problem that costs the United States more than $26 billion annually.
Elijah is the first ambassador from Illinois since 1991.
