JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Ava Clarke Edney, as Mississippi’s 2024 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Champion, will encourage acceptance of the unique differences among us all.
The 15-year-old, who is a Northwest Rankin sophomore from Brandon, has been a Children’s of Mississippi patient since infancy, when she was diagnosed with albinism, a condition in which the body produces little to no melanin.
In addition to determining eye, skin and hair color, melanin plays a role in the development and function of the eyes. Edney is legally blind with nystagmus, or repetitive, involuntary eye movements, and astigmatism, which causes blurred distance and near vision.
Her Children’s of Mississippi care has included general pediatrics, pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric genetics and pediatric dentistry.
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“I believe I have the best team taking care of me every time I go to the children’s hospital for any reason,” she said. “I feel safe there.”