Youth selected as grand marshals for Cedartown Christmas Parade

The Cedartown Christmas Parade Committee is excited to announce that four very special individuals will have the honor of leading dozens of parade entries down Main Street this Thursday night.

The grand marshals for this year’s parade include: Devin Gilham, Megan Mobbs, Andi Grace Kiser and Bristol Sloan Smith.

Devin Gilham, a local teenager, is known around town for his sense of humor, zeal for life and determination. Devin has a genetic disorder called Hallerman Streiff Syndrome, which affects the shape of the skull and jaw and causes numerous health problems for those with the disorder. It is very rare -- there are less than 200 cases in the world. Devin has been on the surgeon’s table 32 times during his life to fix various problems caused by the disease -- from jaw surgery to correct the shape of the jaw to help him breathe to cataract surgery in both eyes. His mom, Nickie, calls Devin “her gift from God.”

Megan Mobbs is a fighter. At 18, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After a journey filled with strong faith in God, enduring hope and amazing willpower, Megan is now cancer free. She was featured by Harbin Clinic as one of their “Faces of Hope” profiles.

Megan’s story and her photograph now hang in the Tony D. Warren MD Cancer Center. Part of her story reads: “I've learned many tough lessons [since August 2015] but the hardest would probably have to be letting go. I was forced to let go of the plans that I had for myself. From that day on, the grasp I thought I had on my life would be ripped completely out of my hands and would be put into the hands of the Lord.

Andi Grace Kiser was five months old when she was diagnosed with stage IV Neuroblastoma with a spinal cord compression.

On July 10, she was determined to be in remission. She has fought and survived through respiratory failure, collapsed lungs, RSV, staphylococcus pneumonia, 19 days on ECMO, 48 days on a ventilator, 82 days in the hospital, eight rounds of chemotherapy, and had 70 red blood cell transfusions, all before her first birthday.

Through their battle, Andi Grace’s parents say that they learned not to focus on the disease, but rather on God. “We saw Andi Grace through His eyes. He reminded us His grace is more than sufficient and His plan for Andi Grace is perfect. We believed in, and accepted His plan.”

Bristol Sloan Smith, a rambunctious three- year- old, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia one year ago. Bristol and his family have traveled to Atlanta for weekly inpatient and outpatient treatments. He receives multiple home medications that have become part of his routine daily care. Bristol will be almost six years old before he finishes his treatments.

His parents “praise God for His mercy and grace” and are so appreciative of their “village” of family and friends in Cedartown that have shown support and offered up prayers on Bristol’s behalf.

The Cedartown Christmas Parade will be held on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. in downtown Cedartown. A rain date is scheduled for Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.