In her almost two years of life, Theresa Sailor of Lake Mills, Iowa, has seen more doctors’ offices and therapists than more people will in a normal lifetime.

Theresa decided to come into the world at only 28 1/2 weeks &045; about three months early &045; at 7:45 p.m. on March 24, 2001. She weighed just over 2 pounds.

Doctors at Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea intubated her, and by 10 p.m. she had been flown to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. There, she would spend her first six weeks of life in the neonatal intensive care unit, said her mother, Lisa.

She was home only six days when she became ill and again had to be airlifted to St. Marys &045; this time for three weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit.

&uot;We almost lost her twice,&uot; her father, Dan Sailor, said.

Her premature birth has also led to lasting complications. She has cerebral palsy, seizure disorder, esotropia, developmental delays, is underweight and has a history of bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

In January of this year, a tube was inserted through her abdominal wall. It is through this tube she receives all her food and medications to control seizures and help her digest her food. &uot;She aspirates, and the food goes into her lungs instead of her stomach,&uot; Lisa said. &uot;We don’t know how long she’ll have to have the tube.&uot;

Her mother said she doesn’t like the tube because she had been getting table food and now she can’t taste any of it.

Theresa’s family is working on getting her a specialized stroller for cerebral palsy patients, as well as a specialized bath chair. She receives both physical and occupational therapy twice a week in her home. A home health nurse comes almost daily. She will also be seeing vision and speech therapists, and will undergo genetic testing in Rochester on March 5.

&uot;She’s hard work,&uot; her mother said, adding her tracking is equal to that of a 7-month-old, and she has the neck control of a 5-month-old.

Still, Theresa is a fighter, and because of that, she’s been named the youth ambassador for the March of Dimes in the Albert Lea area.

Lisa said Angie Hanna, a WalkAmerica volunteer who works in the Albert Lea Medical Center lab, was instrumental in Theresa being chosen as this year’s ambassador.

&uot;We’re very happy she got picked to be ambassador,&uot; Lisa said. &uot;Her dad and I couldn’t be prouder.&uot;

Through the years, youth ambassadors have played an important role, both nationally and on a local level, in spreading the message about the March of Dimes’ fight to save babies.

The Sailor family understands the importance of the March of Dimes’ mission. Lisa Sailor will walk in the March of Dimes Albert Lea Area WalkAmerica on Sunday, April 13, beginning at the Brookside Education Center. The kickoff event for WalkAmerica is this Saturday, March 1, at Northbridge Mall near Cafe Don’L. The public is invited to this open house from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

For more information on WalkAmerica, contact Annie Burt at (507) 282-0649. Register by calling 1(800) 525-Walk, or log on to www.walkamerica.org.

The March of Dimes is a voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies.