Amazing Kids! is proud to highlight the Amazing Kids! of the Month!

Each month, we showcase kids who are accomplishing amazing things. We hope that by telling their special stories, we will inspire other kids to accomplish their own amazing achievements.

Ally Bain, age 17:  Amazing Young Crohn's Disease Activist

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“One person can really make a difference; one voice can really make a difference. People need to know that everyone is facing some kind of struggle and they are not alone. If you are passionate about something, follow through with it. Find a cause and fight for it.”

"Try to always stay positive. It is better for the health and for the spirit. Negativity will keep you from doing something you are passionate about. Don't let your attitude deter you from what you love. Don't be intimidated by the world, because it is just waiting for you to better it.”

John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, had once said: “Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.” It is no secret that whether or not we succeed at something often depends on the way we react to adverse situations. 

With this sage advice in mind, and to help you usher in the New Year on a positive and inspirational note, we are delighted to present the Amazing Kid! of the Month story for January 2008 about one amazing young lady, Ally Bain, who has dedicated herself to advocating for laws protecting the rights of people with Crohn's Disease.

Read below about how amazing Ally Bain fought for the introduction of a new law in her state protecting the rights of people with Crohn’s Disease—and won!  May Ally's story inspire you to stand up for your own rights and the rights of others, and to face adversity courageously!

Amazing Kids! would like to wish everyone a happy, courageous and successful New Year in 2008!

Meet Amazing Ally

Ally's Other Amazing Achievements

Related Links

When Ally Bain, a high school senior from Vernon Hills, Illinois, was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at the age of eleven, she was shocked. She was an otherwise healthy, vibrant young lady.  Crohn’s Disease is an ongoing disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract.  Learning she had the disease was a life altering experience, and she knew it was important to stay positive.

Ally has maintained her positive attitude through her experiences of having the disease, and has seen firsthand the benefits such a positive attiude can have on a person. She offers this advice to others who may be diagnosed with Crohn's Disease or any other medical condition: “Try to always stay positive. It is better for the health and for the spirit. Negativity will keep you from doing something you are passionate about. Don't let your attitude deter you from what you love. Don't be intimidated by the world, because it is just waiting for you to better it.”

Ally's Law

At the age of fourteen, the manager of a department store denied her access to a private restroom even after knowing of her medical condition. She decided to fight back and hence, worked hard to get 'Ally's Law' passed in the state of Illinois. This law made it mandatory to allow people with medical conditions to use private restrooms in the state of Illinois.

Here’s how she did it:  Ally enlisted the help of her parents and contacted the media and her local Illinois State Representative, Kathleen Ryg. In early 2004, Ally testified in front of a committee and its recommendation was unanimous. The bill was passed unanimously in the Illinois House of Representatives and in the Illinois Senate. In August 2005, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the bill into a law known as “Ally's Law”.

 

Ally’s Other Achievements:

Ally is currently advocating and bringing awareness about Crohn's Disease and other digestive illnesses. She is also spreading the word about Ally's Law. She has been working with the pharmaceutical company, UCB, to help promote the legislation in other states. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and Quill & Scroll. She is part of the Teen Advisory Board for Comer Children's Hospital which is part of the University of Chicago.

Ally's achievements vindicate her belief that “one person can really make a difference; one voice can really make a difference. People need to know that everyone is facing some kind of struggle and they are not alone. If you are passionate about something, follow through with it. Find a cause and fight for it. That is what I did. I was lucky; I won my fight.”

Ally and her dad

She says that her parents and her brother have been her biggest inspiration and have supported her in every way.

In the future, she hopes to become a journalist and keep healthy. She wants similar laws in all the fifty states. She says: “I love who I am and what I do. Like Confucius said, 'If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life.'"
 

It's no secret...every person has an "amazing-ness" inside of them, just waiting to be discovered. (Sometimes we just need a little help in finding out what that "amazing-ness" is!)

If you are doing some amazing things too, we want to hear about it! Send us your stories about your amazing accomplishments, so we can tell the world just how amazing you are! We are always looking for new stories. And don't be shy! We'd love to hear from you!

If you know someone who needs a little encouragement, why not tell them what you think is special about them? Maybe you can be the one to help them uncover their own special talent.

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