Cheerleading helped make her heart stronger. Cheerleading saved her.

Genevieve Kelley was six years old when her mother Hillary signed her up for a cheer clinic at the local high school. Genevieve saw high schoolers performing stunts and tumbling, and she knew immediately that she wanted to be just like them. Just a few days later, she got signed up for tumbling classes.

Her journey to the mat may sound normal, but Genevieve beats the odds every time she steps onto the mat.

Born with a rare heart congenital disorder, she battles every day with the effects of her health. Now 11, she is an active all star cheerleader at Southern Athletics in Jackson, Mississippi. She hasn't allowed her heart to put her on the sidelines, but instead has used the power of cheerleading to live an active life. 

Genevieve was three months old when her family got some shocking news. She was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare condition caused by a combination of four different heart defects. The doctors said she would be a lethargic and inactive child.

Since being diagnosed, she has had three major heart surgeries and two heart catheters. Tetralogy of Fallot affects her everyday life and activities. Simple practices can be hard. Genevieve often has chest pains and dizziness; she gets dehydrated easily. She is often forced to wear a heart monitor at some practices and competitions.

Genevieve (on the right) bases with fellow Southern Athletics teammates.

Most kids with this condition would be forced to stop sports and sit on the sidelines, but not Genevieve Kelley. Her love for cheer and her team has helped her overcome every obstacle. Her doctors have told her that she wouldn't be able to compete on a high level but her only response is, "Watch me, I can do that too."

"The heart is a muscle just like any other," explained Genevieve's mother Hillary. "Cheerleading helped make her heart stronger. Cheerleading saved her."

She is now in 6th grade and is striving to join her gym's Level 5 team and compete at the Cheerleading Worlds and eventually cheer in college.

If anyone believes in the power of cheerleading, it's Genevieve Kelley.

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