She was born in Christchurch 15 weeks early, weighing only 665g, and just clinging on to life.
Her parents Maree and Norm Butcher were told she was at high risk of developmental delays or disability.
But she has overcome the odds and now at 19, has dreams of making it big on Broadway in New York.
She has just started her second year of a music degree at Canterbury University.
In five years, her goal is to pursue a musical career in the United States - and Broadway is at the top of the list.
“One of my dreams since I was little was to move to the US and become a singer, actress or Broadway star," she said.
"That dream is still very alive today.
“Whether I do ever make it to the US or whether I just start off doing some shows for more local places like Showbiz [Christchurch] or The Court Theatre, anything to achieve my dreams would be amazing.”
From when Jasmine was three-and-a-half months old until she was four, she attended the Champion Centre at Burwood Hospital.
The centre provides early intervention services for children with significant developmental delays and disabilities up to the age of six.
Jasmine says it played a significant part in getting her ready for school.
“I feel like the centre definitely helped me to catch up with my peers because, like, I was always a little bit, well not behind but, like, a couple of steps behind everybody else.
“By the time I was at primary school I was, like, ahead of everyone else,” she said.
She struggled with matching things such as patterns and pairs but was able to use computer software that teaches basic skills in reading, identifying shapes, matching objects and letters, counting and using a computer mouse.
Said Jasmine: “If I hadn’t gone through all that, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today, you know.
"I wouldn’t have been able to catch up on things and wouldn’t have probably found school as easy as what I did.
"I probably would have struggled more.”
She took up singing, keyboard lessons, started tap and jazz dancing and piano lessons after primary school.
Mrs Butcher credits the Champion Centre as a big factor in Jasmine’s progress.
“By the time she started primary school, she hit the ground running and was ahead of other kids,” she said.
About 100 children currently attend intensive weekly programmes at the centre in Burwood, with a further 89 children attending less frequently as part of a monitoring service for children born prematurely.
