Six-year-old Langford resident Ava Secuur is proving small is mighty.
Ava has achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, and has spent numerous nights in BC Children91Ƶs Hospital in Vancouver. After a bad fall when she was three years old, she showed signs of stenosis 91Ƶ when the spaces in the spine narrow and create pressure on the spinal cord 91Ƶ which required a nine-hour operation.
91ƵWe packed her bags knowing that when we were going to go there, we weren91Ƶt coming back until it was done,91Ƶ said Ava91Ƶs mother Shannon.
For nearly three weeks, Ava was in the hospital recovering and staff were a great help and comfort to her, Shannon and Ava91Ƶs father Christopher throughout that 91Ƶextremely scary time.91Ƶ
Ava will return to the hospital a couple of times a year until she91Ƶs 18 for check-ins related to her dwarfism. Despite those challenges early in her life, she determinedly moves through the world with a smile on her face.
91ƵIt91Ƶs annoying because she kind of has to explain why she91Ƶs so small and people continuously just tell her that she91Ƶs a baby but after like one or two sessions of something new, she91Ƶs so confident in who she is that she91Ƶs just like, 91ƵI91Ƶm small. What else is new?91Ƶ91Ƶ
Ava has a number of hobbies, including hip-hop dance classes and Beaver Scouts 91Ƶ she enjoys going on hikes and camping trips with her dad (and eating pancakes).
91ƵWhen I knew that I had dwarfism, I didn91Ƶt really want to have to do that because I didn91Ƶt know anyone else 91Ƶ any other people that have dwarfism,91Ƶ said Ava. 91ƵIt kind of made me upset.91Ƶ
There91Ƶs some teasing at school that Secuur sometime struggles with, but her parents say her personality quickly shines through, adding she91Ƶs always quick to make friends.
91ƵBy the time she91Ƶs in high school, everyone91Ƶs already adjusted to and known her for so long. She91Ƶs kind of famous in Langford. People say, 91ƵOh, there91Ƶs Ava. And I91Ƶm referred to 91Ƶ I don91Ƶt have a name, I91Ƶm 91ƵAva91Ƶs dad.91Ƶ91Ƶ
Back in November, Ava added superhero to her list of hobbies, as she fought off a paper monster as part of a video campaign for the BC Children91Ƶs Hospital Foundation called 91ƵSmall is Mighty.91Ƶ
91ƵThe 91ƵSmall is Mighty91Ƶ campaign came at such a paramount time because Ava for the most part has been pretty good about being different. But in the last couple of months, she91Ƶs starting to have a lot more, 91ƵWhy-me?91Ƶ conversations. So the campaign came out at a perfect time for us because it just gave her that bit of confidence boost,91Ƶ said Shannon.
The campaign supports multiple initiatives at the hospital. To learn more, go to .
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