Shaking Out the Good Stuff — Acadiana Native to Make Appearance at Rose Parade on Jan. 1

A young woman from Acadiana will be making an appearance at the 136th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California on January 1.

Scott native and Shriners Children's International Patient Ambassador Paige Lacombe will be on the nonprofit healthcare system's "Hope Shines On" float.

This will be the 14th consecutive year that Shriners Children's will participate in this legendary parade that draws thousands of viewers and spectators.

“I couldn't be more grateful for Shriners Children’s and I am so thrilled to be a part of this event,” said Paige. “Along with the unwavering amount of excitement I have to be in the Rose Parade, I am also really looking forward to spreading the word about Shriners Children’s and how they’ve impacted millions of kids' lives, like mine. I hope this brings more awareness to the amazing care they provide so that in the future more patients can experience the level of top-notch care I received.”

Paige is an amazing woman who at the young age of 8 was diagnosed with a rare and serious disorder called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS). It's an extremely painful and life-threatening condition that doctors describe as "burning from the inside out."

Paige's situation started with flu-like symptoms and a "crawling sensation" under her skin that quickly escalated to her skin beginning to blister and peel off.

She was rushed to Shriners Children's Texas, where she was diagnosed with SJS and they treated her condition. Paige ended up having the most serious form of SJS, called toxic epidermal necrolysis, where the burning rash covered 80% of her body.

Paige and Fellow Shriners Children's Texas Patients

“I’m so thankful that I was brought to Shriners Children’s because I learned later that this is such a rare condition that a lot of doctors haven’t even seen it before and luckily my doctors at Shriners were able to correctly diagnose it and treat all of my burn wounds,” said Paige. “Since then, I’ve had 21 major surgeries to repair all of the burning that happened inside my body. I’ve gone through a lot, but I also feel like I’ve learned a lot about the importance of being mentally strong and not giving up.”

Paige is a fighter, as you can tell, and she's thriving. She's now in college at South Louisiana Community College and is in the first few months of her year-long appointment as one of two Shriners Children's International Patient Ambassadors that's taking her around the country attending events, speaking, and spreading the good word about a wonderful organization.

Look for Paige in the Rose Parade which will air on ABC and NBC at 10:00 am central time on January 1, 2025.