5 children in spotlight at 32nd telethon

SIKESTON -- The five local children chosen as this year's poster children for the 32nd Annual Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon represent the various services the Center provides, but they're also selected as a way to educate the community.

"People know us as the CP Center, but we treat so many other kids with so many other diagnoses and the poster children help us to better educate the community about the work we do," said Brandy Dallas, clinical coordinator and physical therapist for the Center.

Poster children are chosen to represent the primary counties the Center services, according to Dallas.

The five children who were selected for this year's Telethon, which will be Saturday and Sunday, are: Lucy Thornton of Dexter, Lydia Hodgkiss of Sikeston, Cole Staffey of Portageville, Madeline Owens of East Prairie and Avrie Cannon of Sikeston.

"Lucy is an adorable and creative 4-year-old who loves princesses and the color pink," Dallas said.

The granddaughter of John and Nona Robinson of Dexter, Lucy has a diagnosis of Centronuclear Myopathy which causes muscle weakness throughout her body and has resulted in delays in her motor development, according to Dallas.

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