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Green Country 3-YO to undergo life changing surgery, bringing awareness to Cerebral Palsy

Posted at 2:37 PM, Feb 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-19 15:37:47-05

BRISTOW -- A life changing surgery is just a couple months away for one Green Country toddler. 

Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, the three year old is hoping his story will not only inspire others, but brings about awareness, something his family feels the state of Oklahoma lacks. 

Cerebral Palsy is the most common disability in children, with a broad spectrum. Some conditions are more severe than others. When it comes to education and awareness, the Yingst family said there's not much of it in Oklahoma, specifically Green Country. But not to worry, that’s where their son, Jacop, comes in. 

He’s a musician in the making. From drums, to the piano, even a riff on the guitar, Jacop Yingst has stars in his eyes. 

“This I wear all the time,” Jacop said, pointing to his head.

With his signature fedora, Jacop is making a name for himself by bringing his unique circumstance to the forefront. 

“We tried for almost three years and we finally got him,” April Yingst, Jacop’s mom said. “And then we had a lot of complications and didn’t know if he would make it.”

Jacop was born 12 weeks premature, weighed in at 2 pounds, 6 ounces, and was in the NICU for 86 days. 

“I was very scared,” April said.

Birth complications resulted in Jacop’s Cerebral Palsy, and although at times his feet may fail, he has big aspirations of playing soccer, basketball, and biking. These dreams are soon to become a reality in May.

“My surgery… it’s going to help me walk,” Jacop said.

His journey is not just a feel good tale, but a mission to bring awareness to the area.

“There's a lot of foundations out there for Cerebral Palsy, but specifically in Oklahoma we lack a lot of education and a lot of help for that,” April said.

The Yingst family said Oklahoma lacks fun runs, or charity events to fund the condition, and is hoping their story will spark an interest.

“It will be nice to have a group of us be able to start something like a 5K run for disability of Cerebral Palsy,” April said.

The goal is to fund the future's of children like Jacop, because without limitations the sky is the limit.

Jacop will undergo surgery in St. Louis, Missouri. If you’d like to follow him on his journey, you can do so on his Facebookpage. You can also donate to his surgery though hisGofundme page.

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