Chelsea Rae Huggins in no stranger to hard work and perseverance.

In October of 2010, at the age of 18, Huggins was a passenger in a Jeep that left the roadway, crashed and left her badly injured. The accident left Huggins paralyzed from the chest down.  She spent the next four months at the Shepherd Center, a spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta.

On March 5, Huggins will share her story as the keynote speaker at the 5th anniversary celebration for Healthy Woman.

Huggins said she is honored that she was asked to serve as the keynote speaker at this year’s event.

“It’s always delightful knowing that my perseverance radiates where others not only notice but also want me to share my story, my life, with those around them,” said Huggins. “I am looking forward to the event and learning much more about the Healthy Woman program and all that it represents.”

It was while being treated for her injuries that Huggins discovered her love for painting.  With time and practice, her paintings became more detailed, vibrant and bold.

Following her newly found passion for painting, Huggins has created her own line of artwork, Mouth Art by Chelsea Rae Huggins.

Huggins currently attends Lurleen B. Wallace Community College where she maintains a steady 4.0 GPA, and plans to pursue a degree in psychology.

Huggins enthusiasm and optimism are contagious and she empowers people of all ages to make positive choices that lead to a more fulfilled life.  Her compelling personal story of tragedy and triumph offers a powerful message of courage, strength and hope.  Huggins strives to encourage others to persevere through any circumstance and to encourage others to not allow their past to determine their future.

The anniversary celebration will be a great event for everyone, according to Linda Hummel, coordinator of the Healthy Woman program.

“I am so excited that we have a speaker of our very own from Butler County”, said Hummel. “Chelsea has been an inspiration to many.  She is a blend of hard work and motivation, making dreams come true.”

At 4 p.m. Healthy Woman will hold a health fair and women’s expo at Antioch East Baptist Church, which will be followed by the dinner at 6 p.m. Huggins will speak at 7 p.m. The tickets for the event are $20.

Tickets can be purchased at L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital, The Pineapple, The Roost and McFerrin’s Jewelry. For more information call (334) 383-2305.