2004 WSU Mom of the Year,
Susan Jackson
Supportive of Family, Community
In the early 1980’s Susan Jackson of Lakewood wasn’t interested in marriage, but longed for a child. Although single-parent international adoptions were rare in those days, within four years she adopted two little girls from India. Jennifer graduated in May 2004 from WSU and Krissy will complete her degree in December.
Jackson worked relentlessly for 18 months to be placed on the waiting list for a child. “While many women would have given up, my mother persevered, passed every test, home study, and credit check,” Jennifer wrote.
Jennifer was born August 28, 1982, in Calcutta. With few options available to her the birth mother abandoned the premature child in a birthing center. The tiny 2.2-pound infant was found there in a shoebox on a shelf. She was nursed back to health and finally put up for adoption.
“From the moment my mother picked me up [at Sea-Tac International Airport November 16, 1982, following a 20-hour flight], we bonded for life,” Jennifer wrote in her nomination.
Jennifer survived open-heart surgery before her 1st birthday and when she was four her mother decided to expand the family. Jackson was not dissuaded by reports that a 4 year old with signs of abuse and labeled a high-risk child should be avoided. She said, “ Send her home to me.” Now Jennifer Anjali had a sister, Kristin Sudha.
When the daughters were second-graders , their mother was diagnosed the end-stage breast cancer. After preparing for the girls guardianship she underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy, and has been cancer-free for 14 years.
Susan Jackson (“67 English) is an English as a Second Language para-educator at a middle school, where she works with at-risk and immigrant children.
Taken from an article by Pat Caraher
Washington State Magazine, fall 2004