Taking an airplane trip to Los Angeles to appear live on national television is exciting enough for most 7-year-olds. When Sarah Schwegel made the trip with her family to appear on the 2000 MDA Telethon, she experienced plenty of excitement, and then some.

After a taped profile about Sarah and her family aired nationwide, star Jerry Lewis interviewed Sarah, and threw in an unexpected question: Would she serve as MDA's National Goodwill Ambassador in 2001?

A shocked but smiling Sarah delightedly agreed to take on the task.

"Oh my gosh, I was so surprised!" said the bright-eyed, clever second-grader of Lewis' spontaneous request. Sarah, who lives in Kirkwood, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, will travel the nation next year to represent families served by the Association. She will attend fund-raisers, sponsor gatherings and other events to spread the word about MDA and its mission, and will be featured in MDA national promotional materials.

"The more I talked to this wonderful young lady and her family, I knew she would make a terrific ambassador," said Lewis, MDA's national chairman. "She has an unforgettable sense of humor and an enchanting personality, and will do a great job spreading the word about MDA."

Sarah succeeds Lauren Carter of Oceanside, Calif., who represented MDA in 2000.

An Energetic Second-Grader

The daughter of Gary Schwegel and Sandy Schwegel, Sarah lives with her mother and their dog, a black Labrador named Ashley.

Sarah has many hobbies, including playing at home with her well-equipped doll house.

Sarah has spinal muscular atrophy, a motor neuron disease that causes weakness in the arms, legs and torso. She's able to stand with long leg braces, and uses both manual and power wheelchairs for mobility.

Sarah attends Westchester Elementary School in Kirkwood. Although she jokes that her favorite part of the school day is dismissal, she also proclaims, "I love school!" Her favorite subjects are art, computers, music, library, PE and science classes.

Sarah, who's known for always having a joke to tell, keeps busy with many activities outside of school. "I love swimming, and I love horseback riding," she said. Swimming is a special thrill "because I can walk in the water."

Sarah takes part in a therapeutic horseback riding program.

She participates in swimming and therapeutic horseback riding weekly, plus Brownies and church youth choir. Sarah hopes to sharpen her riding skills so she can be part of a special equestrian group in the Girl Scouts that rides in parades and other events.

Horseback riding helps fuel her love for animals, and she hopes to someday become a veterinarian. She also collects Harry Potter books, and likes to read books about adventures and animals.

Sarah's no stranger to making public appearances on behalf of MDA. She was serving her second consecutive term as MDA Goodwill Ambassador for Missouri when she was selected for the national role.

As her state's ambassador she attended conventions of MDA sponsors, and met the late Gov. Mel Carnahan at a special proclamation ceremony in Missouri's capital, Jefferson City. She also threw out the first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals game last summer.

Sarah first appeared on a local broadcast of the Telethon at age 2, and has since been featured and interviewed numerous times on the Telethon and in local media.

Sarah enjoys some outdoor fun with friend Parker Briden.

The Schwegel family are loyal friends to MDA, with Sandy spearheading many fund-raising events in the St. Louis area. The family also participates in MDA parties, seminars and other special events, and last summer Sarah attended her first MDA summer camp where she made many new friends.

Sarah is eager to get involved with anything MDA-related, especially knowing she's helping other people, her grandmother Lois Whitesitt recently told a St. Louis newspaper.

"If she can do anything to help people raise money to help with research and cure this disease, she'll do it," Whitesitt said.

An MDA Family History

Ironically, Sandy's support of MDA began well before Sarah was born.

"MDA has been my charity of choice since I was a young child, and I would watch the Telethon with my mom," Schwegel said.

Sarah and MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis.

Then as an adult, when she worked for MasterCard International, she was part of a 1984 effort to teach the Association how to take donations with credit cards via what was then a new phone number, 1-800-FIGHTMD.

When it became apparent that, as a baby, Sarah had physical difficulties, the family went to doctors in search of help. Then Schwegel learned that Sarah's disease is one covered by MDA.

"I have to say that I felt an odd sense of relief," she said, since she was familiar with the research and help the Association could provide her daughter.

Schwegel is thrilled that Sarah will play an important role in MDA's mission.

"It's just absolutely amazing," she said. "It's a true honor." The Schwegels are revved up and ready for all that 2001 may bring, and it appears that they clearly have the ideal motivation for the job.

Sarah said she got a warm welcome from friends and neighbors in her hometown when she returned from the Telethon, and she quickly found a way to capitalize on her new-found fame.

"I sold my autograph for $1 for MDA," with sales raising about $50 so far, Sarah said. "I really want to find the cure."