July 13, 2011
Vol 13 No 28
November 4, 2015
Sharing her story St. Peters teen selected by Shriners Hospitals to assist at PGA Tournament event
Around Town
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School
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Junior Optimists
By Brett Auten It was a whirlwind October weekend for a St. Peters teen. Hadley Wilson was chosen as one of 18 patient ambassadors throughout the country to help out at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, an official PGA Tournament held in Las Vegas. In a rare behind the scenes opportunity, Wilson, 17, served as a standardbearer, where she and another patient ambassador carried the scores of a group of professional golfers as they competed in the tournament. “It was a little tiring,” Wilson said. “Walking 18 holes over both days was like walking six or seven miles. Thankfully, having the other patient ambassador there to talk to and to take turns holding the sign definitely helped.” Not a golf fan per se, Wilson was able to appreciate the sport from a rare frame of reference. “I was never interested or involved in golf,” she said. “It was cool to learn about the sport. I thought it was amazing how far they could hit the ball. I have seen golf courses from a distance but never been on one.” Hadley was born in Beihai City, China in 1998 without her left forearm and hand. After living in an orphanage for two years, she was adopted by Bunnie and Harry Willson of St. Peters. In addition to providing her with prosthetic arms and the training and therapy to use them when she was child, Wilson credits the staff of Shriners Hospitals with helping her find inner strength and determination, and to be proud of her difference. She rarely uses a prosthesis now, because she has learned to adapt to the use of her partial arm with the help of occupational therapists and her own creativity. “I love all the staff at Shriners,” Wilson said. “From the time I was little, they taught me that I should think of myself as unique, rather than disabled. The people that I have met along the
Boone Trail Celebrates 25 years
Submitted photo Hadley Wilson was chosen as one of 18 patient ambassadors throughout the country to help at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, an official PGA Tournament held in Las Vegas.
way have been like family. They have helped me mentally and emotionally and taught me to have the confidence to tell my story.” As part of her participation in the tournament, Hadley’s story and photo appeared in the tournament program and was shared with the Golf Channel, which televised the tournament. The broadcast reached over 700 million homes across 240 countries worldwide. The best part of the experience didn’t happen on the golf course it was afterwards when all of the patient ambassadors reconvened at the hotel that night or went to dinner and bowling afterward. “It was amazing hanging out with the other patient ambassadors,” Wilson said. “We all exchanged numbers and Facebook profiles. Hearing each other’s stories, we connected on a deeper level. We were all different ages and different background but still everyone had a great time.” Wilson is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and she also teaches the sport at Champion Martial Arts. “I’ve always enjoyed kicking things,” Wilson said. “It’s great having a nice studio and atmosphere there. They care about you.”
She is currently finishing her high school studies and taking college courses to prepare for a career in music therapy. “Hadley has been an outstanding patient ambassador since she was four,” Tammy Robbins, Senior Director of Public Relations of the Central Region of Shriners Hospitals for Children said. “She is a very poised, confident young woman. She’s a leader among the patient ambassadors.”
Recipe
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Comfort foods with mangos
Feature Section
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The Golden Years
Movie: ‘Rock the Kasbah’
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