Our Digital Media Department at AMS is used to having your normal talking head guests in-house, and we’ve had our fair share of heroes and A-list celebrities.(On your next visit, be sure to check out our celebrity autograph wall! Hint: J.K. Livin’!)

But for me, the real stars are the advocates and spokespersons who use AMS Pictures studios to speak out and for meaningful causes. Just the other day, we had the pleasure of hosting the very charming Jamie Schanbaum in our studio, who was in-house for a Satellite Media Tour to promote Vaccination Awareness for Meningococcal Meningitis.

Being able to get to know Jamie (even if briefly) was an amazing experience. After all she’s been through, you wouldn’t look at her and think she was anything but an ordinary girl. But in fact, she has been through more in her 23 years than most people experience in a lifetime. In the spirit of awareness and prevention, her story is one that brings awareness to a very contagious and often deadly virus.

Four years ago, while living a successful, normal college life, Jamie unfortunately contracted meningitis and, overnight, became incredibly ill- near death even. Over the next few months, Jamie was forced to say goodbye not only to part of her body, but to her entire way of life. A roller coaster ride of organ failures, tests, and a battle with flesh-eating bacteria resulted in doctors urging her family to make the decision to amputate all of her fingers and both legs; all happening much more rapidly and sooner than they had planned (but since when does life ever wait for you to make plans?).

Flash forward to 2012, Jamie is now a healthy (and may we say awesome) U.S. National Cycling champion who’s gunning for a spot in the 2012 London Paralympics. Not only has she been a physical prodigy, but she’s been rocking it for her cause. Jamie was instrumental in making the vaccine for this highly contagious virus a requirement for college students in Texas.

Notable accomplishments include:

• Competed in the Parapan American Games in Guadalajara.
• Pushed for the passing of the Jamie Schanbaum Act (later amended to the Jamie Schanbaum & Nicolis Williams Act)
• Founded JAMIE: the Joint Advocacy for Meningococcal Information and Education group

Seriously, she’s a real-life Superwoman, the paradigm of perseverance,  and a true inspiration for us at AMS Pictures Public Interest. Kinda makes you want to stop and ask, what did *I* accomplish today?

For more information on Meningitis and prevention, visit the National Meningitis Association.