In January, Aubrey Armstrong was named Mississippi’s Children’s Miracle Champion for 2019.

Now, she has been chosen to serve as the 2020 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals National Champion.

Armstrong is the first Children’s of Mississippi patient to earn the national honor of representing patients of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The decision was announced by The University of Mississippi Medical Center on Tuesday.

Children’s of Mississippi is a part of UMMC and is the state’s only children’s hospital, as well as general and specialty clinics around the state.

“We are so excited and humbled,” said Holly Armstrong, Aubrey’s mother. “After we got the news, we told her when she got home from school. She said, ‘Oh, my goodness! Really?!'”

On Jan. 24, Armstrong was named Mississippi’s Children’s Miracle Champion, which made her a candidate for the national title. In October, the Armstrongs went to Salt Lake City, Utah, for photos, media interviews and a chance to meet the other 2020 national champions and their families.

As an infant, Armstrong was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and spent several years seeing medical and dental specialists, undergoing treatments that included physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Armstrong still continues to see Children’s specialists in otolaryngology, endocrinology and ophthalmology.

Each year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals chooses 10 of America’s state Champions to be advocates for patients on the national level.

“I want to thank Children’s of Mississippi for an amazing year,” Aubrey said. “I am so excited to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as a national Champion.”

The 10 national Champions will represent Children’s Miracle Network during Children’s Hospital Week, April 6 through 12. The group will also attend an annual Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals conference in Orlando, Fla., where they will share their stories with attendees, including corporate sponsors.

The Champions will also be featured as the faces of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals national fundraising efforts, which include being on magazine covers and in social media posts as well as being pictured on front of Cheerios cereal boxes.

During her time as Mississippi’s Champion this year, Armstrong was the 2019 Mississippi Miss Amazing Junior Teen. Miss Amazing seeks to provide opportunities for girls and women with disabilities to build confidence and self-esteem.