Holly Springs girl who beat illness selected for book

A Canadian charity affiliated with Celine Dion has tapped 8-year-old Anna Williamson of Holly Springs to be featured in a book and fund-raising project about children who have overcome great adversity.

Anna, the daughter of Susan and Jason Williamson, was the subject of a three-part series in The News & Observer in 2000, chronicling the family's decision to pursue a radical surgery at Vanderbilt University to treat Anna's spina bifida. The surgery occurred while Anna was still a developing fetus, closing a hole on Anna's spinal column in hopes of giving her a better chance of living without major disabilities.

Now, Anna is again in the limelight -- this time featured with Dion on the cover of the book "12 Heroes Among Us," which Dion has undertaken to raise money for St. Justine Hospital in Montreal. The book will be available in Canada on Aug. 19. A U.S. launch is planned for September.

"These children's stories are incredible," said Susan Williamson, referring to the children selected to participate in the project. "It's very emotional to think about the things these children have survived."

Nominated by Reader's Digest editors who had originally published the stories of the children's ordeals, participants included survivors of child abuse, Hurricane Katrina, the Indonesian tsunami, violence and health complications. About 30 children were initially considered, and organizers whittled the number to 12. Anna, whose story was picked up by Reader's Digest after The N&O series, was an early favorite for inclusion.

"The children had to have a big drama, but had to be healthy," said Martyne Huot, general director of Today's Family Network, a Canadian non-profit that organized the event as its annual fundraiser with Dion.

Since Anna was born, she has overcome most of the hallmark problems associated with spina bifida, a birth defect that occurs when the spinal cord does not fully fuse during development. In most cases, children with the condition suffer some degree of paralysis, plus bladder and bowel disorders and other complications.

Anna, born prematurely by cesarean section, had clubbed feet, but with braces and physical therapy she is now able to walk, run and ride a bike without training wheels.