Lilac lights up the screen Primark advert role for brave four year old
BRAVE little Lilac Jackson has become a poster girl for clothing company Primark just a year after undergoing a major operation to help her walk.
The cute four-year-old is determined not to let being born with cerebral palsy diplegia get in the way of her living life to the full.
After signing up to a talent agency she is now starring in the adverts for the Toy Story 4 clothing collection at Primark and is set to appear in a major new TV series.
It has been a rollercoaster 12 months since her proud parents Leila and Barry finally raised the £65,000 needed to pay for a six hour operation that was not available on the NHS.
Although they knew last April’s operation at Bristol Children’s Hospital would transform Lilac’s life, they could never have guessed how much of difference it would make to the whole family’s.
Now Lilac’s infectious smile can be seen across the country as she models a glittery Jessie the cowgirl top in the latest Toy Story 4 nationwide campaign.
“Being chosen for the Toy Story 4 campaign with Primark was very exciting and her image is all over social media and on big screens in the large shopping centres,” said mum Leila, 36 and from Bishop’s Cleeve.
“Lilac is also about to start filming on a brand new drama which will be very big.
“It’s pretty amazing but I can’t say anything about it at the moment because it’s all top secret.
“She’s also had a sudden, kick start in her progression and the aim is for her to walk into school independently when she starts in September.
“Of course there are still difficult days, but it feels like we have turned a corner and every day gets a little bit easier.
“Lilac is having the time of her life and we feel like we have taken back control.”
Lilac has had to battle since she was put on life support to try and stop her organs shutting down after being born at 34 weeks.
Months after she won the battle for survival medics told her family she had been diagnosed with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy - a condition which tightens her leg muscles.
Before the Lilac’s Little Legs campaign to pay for a selective dorsal rhizotomy operation, it would take her 20 minutes to walk a maximum of 400 metres with her k-walker and her family were told she may never walk inde
pendently. But despite her problems Lilac’s magnetic personality always shone through and when Jake Wood, Max Branning in Eastenders, came to Whaddon Road for a charity football match he made a beeline for the young girl at the side of the pitch with younger brother Leo and older sister Lulu.
Agency Zebedee, which specialises in adults and children with disabilities, were quick to see the potential of the Disney-loving Gloucestershire girl with the adorable personality.
Soon after signing her up the family found themselves heading to a vintage fairground in Devon to shoot the Toy Story 4 adverts for Primark.
Mum Leila says the agency will assess each job that comes up to see if it fits the needs of Lilac, who uses single point sticks, but the experience proves that having a child with disabilities can be a force for good for families.
“For us it’s all about inclusion,” she said of Lilac, who loves singing, drawing, swimming, cycling and make-up.
“It’s so important that Lilac is accepted, differences and all, because nothing will be more empowering for her than that.”
She added: “She has been given some amazing opportunities already and even more beckons as children with disabilities are accepted into the mainstream. It’s evolving all the time.
“We stand for hard work, hope and giving people opportunity and Lilac is living proof of how that works.”
To see the video, visit our website at gloucestershirelive.co.uk
Lilac is having the time of her life and we feel like we have taken back control Leila Jackson