FORT KENT – A little girl, who already has lived more than double the number of years she was given after being born, celebrated her 10th birthday Friday night at the Frenchville Community Center, surrounded by more than 175 friends from throughout the St. John Valley.

Sarah Michaud, the daughter of Chris and Rose Michaud of Fort Kent, was born with congenital scoliosis and a rare condition called VATER, an acronym for a wide range of anatomical birth defects, such as cardiac, anal, renal, vertebral and tracheo-esophageal abnormalities. She had seven ribs missing on her right side, her esophagus was attached to the lungs instead of the stomach, her right kidney was missing, one half of her right lung was missing, and she had a 96 percent spinal curvature. The disorder is thought to be caused by prenatal trauma.

Thanks to medical research, skilled doctors and nurses in San Antonio, Texas; and the love and prayers of her family and friends, Sarah is able to run around and enjoy life, and her future looks promising. She wants to be a singer or nurse.

“I’m very happy,” a beaming Sarah said at the party. Behind her seat at the head table, a large banner featuring a basketball, baseball and bat read “To God be the Glory SARAH for great things he is doing in your life.”

Sarah went from table to table, talking with people who laughed and smiled. Two long tables near the entrance were filled with birthday presents including a large maroon teddy bear with sparkling eyes.

Norman Nadeau of Frenchville became teary-eyed when his granddaughter put her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek.

Two days before, in an interview at Riverside Park in Fort Kent, Sarah spoke of her summer exploits. She played Little League baseball this summer. Her team, Irving’s, won the playoff championship last week. She played second base and left field.

She also enjoys basketball, swimming and skiing.

“I go all the way to the top [at Lonesome Pine Trails at Fort Kent],” the fifth-grader related.

She said some boys got upset when she turned out for baseball early this summer.

“I can really hit the ball,” she said.

Born at Eastern Maine Medical Center in 1991, Sarah underwent a six-hour surgery when she was 3 days old. Fighting for her life, the infant had her esophagus attached to her stomach at Maine Medical Center in Portland where she was rushed just four hours after her birth.

Sarah later was evaluated at Boston’s Children’s Hospital and was sent to doctors at the Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. She and her family have been going there every six months ever since.

“The only time I get spoiled is when I am in Texas, by the nurses,” she said.

A month shy of her third birthday, Sarah had her first spinal operation. Two titanium rods were inserted into her tiny body, one to support her spine and a shorter one to support her chest wall. The rods are adjusted as she grows.

Next month, she will travel to Texas again for surgery – her 15th operation.

“It bothers me a little bit going there again,” she said of the coming surgery. “Sometimes I’m afraid of dying, you know, not waking up from the surgery.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with doctors and nurses,” she said. “More than enough.”

Many of them she considers her friends, such as Drs. Robert Campbell and Melvin Smith in Texas and Cheryl Daigle, a Fort Kent nurse, who cared for Sarah during the first four years of her life.

“She’s more than a nurse to her,” Rose Michaud said. “She became a friend who picks up Sarah for lunches and outings. She’s very special.”

It hasn’t been easy for the Michaud family to deal with Sarah’s medical condition over the years. Her treatments cost millions of dollars. Some of the cost has been covered by insurance, and the family gets assistance through Medicaid.

“It’s been very expensive, and we may never recover from the out-of-pocket expenses,” said Chris Michaud, who is a minister at the Fort Kent Bible Church. “We’ve had a lot of support from both our families, friends, and many churches right across the whole state.

“She’s become a mission for many individuals and churches,” he said. “Many programs have helped us, like Children with Special Needs for flights to Texas.”

“Family, friends and our faith helped us through these years,” the father said.

In October, a month after her surgery, Sarah and her entire family will go to Walt Disney World, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Finally I can take a trip where I don’t have to face surgery and pain,” Sarah said. “I’m going to see my friend Jennifer while I am there.”

Jennifer is a young Florida girl she met in Texas. Her friend also faces many of the same treatments. The two have become good friends over the years.

Santa Rosa Catholic Hospital in San Antonio is the only medical facility in the country that performs the procedures Michaud needs. The Fort Kent girl has undergone 13 operations there to date.

“It has allowed Sarah to grow and enjoy life like other children,” Rose Michaud said.

“The early prognosis was not good,” Chris Michaud said. “We were told she may not survive, or she could have been bedridden, living on a respirator.”

Sarah’s parents let her try to do almost anything. They believe that is better than doing everything for her. Last week, she took part in a children’s wilderness camp at Eagle Lake.

Sarah has two brothers, Corey, 15, and Ryan, 11, and a 13-year-old sister, Amber. The children are home-schooled.