By Luke Voogt
Ava and Mia Ciach will take on Run Geelong’s Kids Dash for the first time next month to support sick children, following health battles of their own.
“I’m happy because I like running,” Ava told the Indy after polishing off some chocolate ice cream.
Ava, 8, and Mia, 7, were born prematurely at 30 and 29 weeks respectively.
The Geelong West sisters were the event’s child ambassadors in 2013 when it raised money for a special care nursery.
Their family had walked in Run Geelong each year since, but 2017 was the first time the girls had been healthy enough to run it, their mum Stacey said.
“They love it. Now they get to do it with their school friends who are super supportive.”
Ava had a condition where two plates in her skull were abnormally fused.
In September 2014 she had a total cranial vault remodel at the Royal Children’s Hospital, which took more than nine hours.
Surgeons removed, shattered and rebuilt her skull using dissolvable plates and screws, then reattached it.
Tests four months ago found Ava had some swelling at the back her eye due to intracranial pressure.
“We’re now with a neurologist to see what the plan is with her,” Stacey said.
Mia has the same condition Ava did but has yet to require surgery.
Run Geelong returns to Eastern Gardens on 19 November to raise money for a new local paediatric rehabilitation centre.
