From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE – On Oct. 22. 2022, Auburn University sophomore Abbie Stockard was crowned Miss Trussville 2023. Now, Stockard is reaching out to the community to drive awareness for her Social Impact Initiative, “Be The Change – Find A Cure: Cystic Fibrosis Awareness.”
“As you may or may not be aware, the title of Miss Trussville is a preliminary competition that leads to Miss Alabama,” Stockard said. “The Miss Alabama Organization empowers young women to make a difference and to be a change agent in the community through their Social Impact Initiative.”
Stockard is enrolled in the College of Nursing at AU, and in the summer of 2022, she placed Third Runner-Up and won the Talent Preliminary Award at Miss Alabama.
“I am even more excited to compete again as Miss Trussville,” she said. “My goal is to increase awareness and to drive fundraising in the fight against CF. I am proud to have worked with State Senator Jabo Waggoner to create a resolution designating May 26th as the statewide Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Day. I also spend significant time reading the book ‘Taking Cystic Fibrosis to School’ at elementary schools (and) teaching children to be aware and empathetic to any fellow classmates that may be suffering from this or any other disease.”
Stockard explained that Cystic Fibrosis is “a devastating disease which creates a thick mucus that clogs the lungs, pancreas, and intestines. A person suffering with CF must take a daily regime of medicine, and their life expectancy is only 44 years.
“My participation in finding a cure for CF began years before I ever dreamed of becoming Miss Alabama,” she said. “My initial exposure to CF was visiting my third-grade best friend in the hospital countless times as she struggled just to breathe. At the young age of 10, I started my journey to find a cure so that she and others can live a full life.”
One way to help in this fight, Stockard said, is by getting involved with the Great Strides Walk, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s largest fundraiser. This year’s Birmingham Great Strides Walk is Saturday, May 20.
Those interested can register for any of the Walks in Alabama using the link: fightcf.cff.org/greatstrides.
Another way to help is by donating to Cystic Fibrosis at https://fightcf.cff/org/.
“Trussville is such a warm community, and I hope to bring home the Miss Alabama crown as an honor to the City!” Stockard said. “Please follow my journey on social media and look for upcoming events and ways to book me for your next event.”
Look for Abbie Stockard, Miss Trussville, on social media @abbiestockard and @misstrussville2023.