This past weekend, an amazing thing happened at the 2015 National Fossil Day celebration at the Aurora Fossil Museum. Seven-year-old Rockwell girl Amery Green had a few dreams realized thanks to an international society and the museum’s director, Cynthia Crane.

Amery has several incurable illnesses, including Mitochondrial disease, Dysautonomia and several others, and was not supposed to live past her second birthday, according to Crane. So each year in August, Amery celebrates her birthday the entire month through trips and activities.

Amery’s mother, Delaney, brought her to the Aurora Fossil Museum in 2014 where she met Crane and came back this past Saturday for the celebration. At the celebration, Amery was given an honorary junior paleontologist certificate, the 2015 Meg Award, designed just for her, as well as a special VIP access pass for a behind-the-scenes tour of the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, thanks to the Paleontological Society and Crane. Crane, who is a member, contacted the society to arrange the awards and access.

Amery wakes up every day fighting for her life — in and out of hospitals, hooked up to equipment day and night, pumped full of meds, in pain and tired, according to a blog by mother Delaney Green. In the blog, Delaney describes her daughter as a true warrior: “Amery amazes me. Not once does she complain about what is going on. She cries because of the physical pain she feels, the turmoil that her body goes through and the pure exhaustion she feels from her fight. In many cases, she is the one picking me up and telling me it’s going to be ok. “

And not only does Amery handle her disease with grace and strength, she also conducts outreach for other kids suffering from the same disease, as well as those who are less fortunate or suffering from other illnesses. Dubbed Amery’s Army, she advocates for those living with incurable illnesses through raising awareness, toy drives and other outreach.

A valuable lesson can be learned from Amery. She was dealt a bad hand in life from the very beginning, but she has not wasted one single day letting it get her down or overcome her. Despite the odds against her, she has not only found it in her to live life to the fullest and fight for her life every single day, but she has also used her time to reach out to others, who are dealing with similar issues, and give them hope and inspiration.

Amery was asked a very interesting question one day by an older lady: “If your disease has no cure, then how do you fight? How do you fight to live?”

Without even thinking about it, Amery’s response was priceless, her mother wrote in the blog.

“How do I fight an incurable illness? Well…I fight like a girl.” –Amery Green