We are excited and proud to welcome our new “Youth Ambassador,” Ali McManus. Ali is a super-talented young singer-songwriter, whose life was monumentally altered by music. At age 7, Ali was diagnosed with a rare and degenerative bone disorder that left her wheelchair-bound and facing ten surgeries. She spent more than a year in rehabilitation at Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. With a 145 degree-curvature of the spine, Ali’s lung capacity was reduced to 19%. With her physical limitations, music has been Ali’s powerful outlet for creative and emotional expression. “Ever since my first lesson I fell in love!” Ali adds, “Performing is my 3 minutes of NO pain. Music has inspired me to keep moving forward each day. Music gives me the hope that I will walk again.” After life-saving surgery, Ali now has 30% lung capacity. She tells us, “It blows my mind everyday how I can belt out songs the way I do!” Ali is recording her first EP and looks forward to inspiring “as many people as possible” through her music and life experiences. www.nhls.com