Love’s 2016 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals 'Miracle Child'

Samantha Lancaster is like many other 9-year-old girls. She enjoys dancing, drawing, reading and playing video games. Her favorite colors are pink and purple, and her favorite foods are steak and pizza. She dreams of someday attending the University of Oklahoma and becoming a neurosurgeon.

Unlike other fourth graders, Samantha was diagnosed in May 2013 with a congenital defect involving her brain and spine as well as a disorder that causes cysts to form within her spinal cord. She also experiences scoliosis. Since her diagnoses, she's undergone one surgery and received treatment at The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital (CMNH), near her home in Del City, Oklahoma.

Despite experiencing back pains, stomach migraines, numbness and dizziness and being unable to engage in many physical activities, Samantha doesn't let her circumstances keep her down. She participates in Girl Scouts, Awana, singing and drama. She also enjoys helping others and raising funds for CMNH.

Samantha will work with Love's in 2016 as our Miracle Child. The Miracle Child program allows kids who brave the toughest battles at CMN Hospitals to act as ambassadors for CMNH and inspire others to help make miracles happen. Samantha couldn't be a more perfect fit for Love's.

"The best part of being a Miracle Child is getting the chance to tell my story to everyone," Samantha said. By sharing her story, she hopes to shine a light on her condition, bring attention to others fighting the same fight and help children just like her.

As an introduction to Samantha, here's a video she recorded for all of our store teams who participated in the 2015 CMNH campaign.

Stay tuned for more from Samantha. She's just getting started!