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LEN: A LITTLE GIRL GETS INVITED
TO A SPECIAL CAMP ACROSS THE
COUNTRY FOR CHILDREN WITH
SERIOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING
MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
LARA: HOWEVER, KMBC 9'S KISHA
HENRY SHOWS US LITTLE AVA NEEDS
SOME HELP ON MAKING HER DREAM A
REALITY.
KISHA?
KISHA: AVA AND HER FAMILY LIVE
IN INDEPENDENCE.
AND THE CAMP IS ALL THE WAY IN
CAPE COD, NEARLY 1500 MILES
AWAY.
THE CAMP IS FREE, BUT TRAVEL
EXPENSES FOR THE FAMILY ARE NOT.
LITTLE AVA HAS BEEN THROUGH A
LOT IN HER FIVE YEARS.
WHEN SHE WAS A BABY, I
STARTED NOTICING THAT HER HEAD
WAS GROWING IN DIFFERENT SHAPES
THAN THE OTHER KIDS.
KISHA: STEPHANIE O'BRIEN SAYS
HER DAUGHTER AVA HAS HAD FIVE
SURGERIES, FOUR TO RECONSTRUCT
HER SKULL, TO MAKE ROOM FOR HER
BRAIN.
THE FIFTH TO INSTALL A FEEDING
TUBE IN HER STOMACH, BECAUSE SHE
STOPPED GROWING AT THE AGE OF
TWO.
SHE CALLS HERSELF ONE TOUGH
COOKIE.
KISHA: IT'S BEEN TOUGH ON THE
WHOLE FAMILY.
BUT DREAM DAY ON CAPE COD, HAS
INVITED AVA AND HER FAMILY FOR A
WEEK OF CAMP, ALONG WITH SEVEN
OTHER SERIOUSLY ILL CHILDREN AND
THEIR FAMILIES,
INSTEAD OF BEING HAPPY AT
FIRST, I WAS SAD.
BECAUSE IT REALLY MAKES YOU
REALIZE THAT YOUR KID IS REALLY
ILL.
KISHA: BUT NOW THE WHOLE FAMILY
IS EXCITED FOR A WEEK AWAY, TO
CELEBRATE AVA WITHOUT ANY
WORRIES.
NOT HAVE TO GO TO OUR WEEKLY
APPOINTMENTS, NOT BE IN THE
HOSPITAL, JUST LET HER HAVE FUN
AND DO SOMETHING, MAKE MEMORIES.
KISHA: STEPHANIE WANTS AVA TO
SEE SHE'S NOT ALONE.
THERE ARE OTHER CHILDREN JUST
LIKE HER.
AND, JUST LIKE ALL PARENTS,
STEPHANIE WANTS ONE THING FOR
AVA.
I WANT HER TO GROW UP AND BE
HAPPY.
KISHA: STEPHANIE SAYS THERE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL FLY HER
AND AVA TO CAPE COD, BUT SHE
WANTS THE WHOLE FAMILY TO GO
BECAUSE THEY'VE ALL BEEN IN THIS
TOGETHER.
SO FAR, AVA'S GOFUNDME PAGE HAS
RAISED JUST OVER $200 OF THE
$2500 NEEDED BEFORE JULY.
KISHA HENRY, KMBC 9 NEWS.
LARA: WE'VE POSTED THE GOFUND-E