How an Ocean Springs mom is using a pageant to help ailing toddler

Juliet London of Ocean Springs said she wants to help 3-year-old Willow Cannan, whose parents Amber Olsen and Tom Cannan are friends of hers and her husband Jeremy London. She said Willow is also a friend of her toddler son, Wyatt.

“Willow is Wyatt’s friend and they love to play together,” she said. “I just want to be able to help Willow.”

In 2016, Willow was diagnosed with multiple sulfatase deficiency, a genetic, ultra-rare lysosomal storage disease that causes the body to deteriorate. There is no known cure for MSD. There also has not been many studies on the disease. Willow’s parents have been trying to raise $1 million to save their daughter’s life. But for every day there is not a cure for MSD, it’s another day that Willow’s health continues to fail.

Juliet London, who is a native of Tampa and stars in the film “The Girl in The Woods,” decided to use the State of Florida as a way to raise money for Warriors for Willow and raise awareness about MSD. She is representing her hometown as Mrs. Tampa in the Mrs. Florida America pageant. The contest is currently under way in Orlando.

“Tampa is my home and I am proud to represent it in the pageant,” she said. “It’s a great way to network and being awareness to MSD and if I win, I will compete in the Mrs. America pageant and bring the cause to a national stage.”

She said she got the idea of competing in the pageant from a family friend.

“Jeremy and I were on the TV show ‘Celebrity Wife Swap’ in 2015 and the couple we swapped with was Jackie and David Siegel,” Juliet London said. “We’ve remained friends with them and Jackie is involved with the Mrs. Florida America Pageant.”

Juliet London said Siegel has also experienced a tragic loss in her own family.

“The day after our episode of the show aired, Jackie’s daughter Victoria died of an overdose,” she said. “I had gotten very close with Jackie’s children when we did the show — Jackie also started Victoria’s Voice foundation to raise awareness about addiction.”

And while Warriors for Willow continues to raise funds for the ailing toddler, Jeremy London said time is running out.

“The disease is very degenerative and it’s taking Willow down pretty quickly, she’s not able to walk anymore,” he said. “This is any parent’s worst nightmare and we badly want to help our friends before it is too late.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 10:38 AM with the headline "How an Ocean Springs mom is using a pageant to help ailing toddler."