She's had five major surgeries and yet when you meet her you are struck first by her incredibly warm smile and a tenacious "can do" attitude.ÊHer dad and mom, Al and Karan, call her a miracle.ÊÊ

"When she was born with this disease they told us she would never walk.ÊThey told us that she would never be over four feet tall," Karan said.Ê"This spring she went to prom and I'm proud to announce that she's over five feet tall!

"I just think it's so ironic.Ê In my life I've met so many people who have it so much better than Jacque who live a life of negativity and complaining, and then when I think of all that Jacque has gone through ... the major surgeries, the minor surgeries, the mobility issues, all of it ... and she's more positive than almost anyone I know! She's just got an amazing spirit! You just can't keep her down."

This June, Jacque, a freshman at Vermillion High School, is going to have her sixth major surgery.ÊThe surgery will take place at the Gillette Specialty Hospital in St. Paul, MN.

Although perhaps the most painful surgery she will have ... doctors plan to cut both of Jacque's legs off in two places and then re-attach them so that her feet will point more forward ... this is the one she is most excited about.

When asked about her surgery she said with a smile, "I can't wait to get this surgery over with.Ê I'll be able to walk so much better and it will improve my balance so then I can really boogie!ÊBeing able to walk to and from my classes without leaving early will be cool, too."

As you can imagine, these surgeries have put some major financial burdens on the family.Ê Although the actual surgeries have been mostly paid for by major charities, staying in St. Paul and gas and food for at least six weeks can get expensive.

Jacque's dad puts it this way, "For her last surgery we lived pretty much on tuna sandwiches and whatever we could scrounge up.Ê We needed to be right next to the hospital because Jacque would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night calling for us and we wanted to be able to get back to her as soon as we could," he said. "So we really need to stay in a hotel right next to the hospital.Ê We checked into everything ... the Ronald McDonald house, you name it ... but we just don't qualify to stay there."

The Ronald McDonald house is for children and families with cancer, he said, "so we're just going to have to see if we can scrounge up the money to stay in a hotel.ÊIf we don't get enough money I suppose we'll just stay in our car.

"I hate to ask people for help, but this time we just don't have any other way of getting it done. Any kind of help will be greatly appreciated. We really are in a tough spot," Al said.

The SH youth of the Vermillion First United Methodist Church will be serving a benefit meal for Jacque and her family on Sunday, May 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vermillion First United Methodist Church, 16 N. Dakota St., Vermillion.ÊÊ

Everyone is welcome and invited to help Jacque and her family out. Besides a meal, the United Methodist Women will be putting on a bake sale and a silent auction.ÊWe will also be auctioning off some major items at 12:30 p.m.ÊIf you can't make it to the benefit, please consider sending Êa donation to "Jacque", c/o the Vermillion First United Methodist Church at 16 N. Dakota St., Vermillion, SD 57069.Ê