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Show "Miracle Baby with Birth Defects Is Named March of Dimes Child ' ) f y t i ' ... -j ...... I .. - .. ; - : y . j n , - - - -: c f f ' " " " - i 'l , t ? - r" - v - - f i ' Jimmy Eongess' mother, Mis. Shirley Boggess, reads a fairy tale to the 1963 National A'arch cf Dimes Boy, a victim of the birth defect known as open spine. She is a March or Dimes volunteer in her home town of Coy, Ark., because she wishes to encourage resecrch "to learn vhy some children, like my Jimmy, aren't born perfect." Five-year-old Jimmy Boggess of Coy, Ark., a "miracle baby" who has survived a constant battle against serious birth defects, de-fects, has been named the 25th Anniversary March of Dimes Boy for 1963. Jimmy, the son of Mr. and Mrs. James" Boggess, was born with a birth defect known as spina bifida, or open spine. He underwent an operation when he was five days old to correct this condition. A few months later, it appeared that he also had hydrocephalus, or water on the brain. However, this condition condi-tion has apparently arrested Itself without need of surgery. In spite of the fact that he also has defects in both' the genito-urinary and digestive systems, Jimmy is a happy, inquisitive in-quisitive child who plays with his pets and his toys as eagerly as any other youngster his age. He walks with the aid of steel braces and wooden crutches. He looks forward to his na tionwide tour scheduled for January, which marks the 25th anniversary of The National Foundation-March of Dimes. His picture will be on millions of coin collectors, leaflets and school cards used in every county in the nation. He will also visit with a number of congressmen, senators, governors, gover-nors, mayors, screen stars, TV personalities and stage celebrities. celebri-ties. A winsome, intelligent lad, Jimmy was born in Panama City, Fla., Jan. 20, 1957. His parents, both natives of Arkansas, Arkan-sas, took him soon after to their home state to be nearer specialists spe-cialists and medical facilities there, so that their son could get the expert medical care he needed to survive. "Jimmy is a symbol of the 250,000 children born each year in this country with significant birth defects. He is living proof that something can be done for seemingly hopelessly crippled children," said Basil O'Connor, president of The National FoLndation-March of Dimes. Jimmy's mother, Shirley Bog gess, who was a model before her l. irriage, today is a March of Dimes volunteer. One of Vne satisfactions she finds in this work is the hope it atfoids that "research will find the reasons why some children are not born perfect, and then will find a way to prevent these tragedies. The March of Dimes helped wipe out polio with the Salk and Sabin vaccines. I am certain cer-tain that something can be done about birth defects. "I am going to work as hard as I can to see that Jimmy continues con-tinues to get the best possible medical care, and that funds are available for research so that someday other mothers won't suffer the terrible shock that I did. "Children like Jimmy will benefit most from expansion of the March of Dimes-supported nationwide network of clinical study and treatment centers, which bring the most modern medical care to victims of birth defects, arthritis and polio. Today To-day there are more than 50 of these centers. Our nation could easily use twice that number." |
