Hydrocephalus Association Ambassador Ema McLaughen, her mother Chara and their friend Miss Tennessee 2014 Hayley Lewis met with Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam.
photo by Wendy King
Hydrocephalus Association Ambassador Ema McLaughen of Ooltewah, her mother Chara and their friend Miss Tennessee 2014 Hayley Lewis met with Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam at the State Capitol in Nashville.
At the age of five Ema, a student at Silverdale Baptist Academy, has had nine brain surgeries since being diagnosed with hydrocephalus at birth.
Ema became a media celebrity when she was the special guest at last year's Miss Tennessee Pageant and Ms. Lewis' public service announcement for HA was launched last week.
Ms. Lewis, who held the local title of Miss Tennessee Valley prior to winning the state crown last June, will be in Chattanooga on Saturday on behalf of the first Miss America Serves Day.
Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev and state and local titleholders will be participating in nationwide community service events which is being sponsored by Children's Miracle Network Hospitals including Children's Hospital at Erlanger.
Ms. Lewis, Ema and several of the Miss Tennessee 2015 contestants will be attending a youth oriented Expo at the Chattanooga Convention Center starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.