Rally Foundation : 46 Faces of Rally

Meet Jacob

Jacob is a 10-year-old boy who amazes everyone he encounters. He was born with Down Syndrome. Additionally, he has endured 20 surgeries and 55 procedures for the many other medical problems that he faces, including eye, ENT, GI and heart problems. On November 13, 2009, Jacob was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of childhood leukemia. He is currently undergoing a three-year chemotherapy protocol. Due to the hard work of many people on the "Jacob Team," Jacob is now starting to walk again. He loves to read, play the piano, bells and xylophone, ride horses and participate in baseball, which is his favorite sport. Jacob also played the piano during the 2007 Shriner's Telethon to benefit Shriner's hospitals across the country! On May 30, 2009, Jacob received the gold medal for the 50-meter dash at the Special Olympics State Games at Emory University. His mom's involvement in children's healthcare and educational reform have led Jacob to be one of Georgia's most visible advocates for these issues. He loves spending time with his parents and younger brother, Jared. Jacob's hope and dream is that society will see him for his abilities and not his disabilities.