Running for the team that helped her get back on her feet

At 19, Charlie is taking on the Auckland Half Marathon with a very special team in mind: the people at Kidz First who have been part of her life for as long as she can remember.

Charlie has spent many hours walking the halls of Middlemore Hospital. Her mum, Kirsten heads Burns, Plastics and Paediatrics Occupational therapy and Physiotherapy , and Charlie has experienced the hospital from both sides, as a patient and as a volunteer.

“I see how hard everyone works and how committed they are to their patients, and I just want to support them all.”

In 2023, just two weeks after turning 16, Charlie began experiencing numbness in her fingers. Gradually, the symptoms spread. She started losing her balance and falling over, initially putting it down to tiredness. But when neck pain developed, Kirsten knew something was seriously wrong.

An emergency MRI revealed a tumour on Charlie’s neck. Just two days later, she underwent a six-hour operation to have it removed.

At 16, Charlie was legally considered an adult and had to sign the paperwork acknowledging the risks of surgery, including the possibility that she might wake up unable to walk or breathe independently.

“It was pretty scary,” she recalls.

Thankfully, her symptoms disappeared following surgery, and Charlie was eventually able to return to playing netball, one of her great joys.

But further scans prior to surgery revealed 10 tumours on her spine and brain, including several on her hearing nerves. These findings led to a diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare condition that causes tumours to grow on nerves throughout the body.

Living with NF2 means Charlie will need regular monitoring and ongoing care throughout her life. Her year includes numerous appointments and scans across ophthalmology, audiology and oncology, as doctors keep a close eye on the tumours and any changes.

Hearing loss is a common part of NF2, and Charlie currently uses a hearing aid. Knowing it may not work forever, she has started learning sign language.

Through it all, Charlie says she feels incredibly lucky to have the support of her parents, two younger sisters, wider family and friends.

Having a mum who works in healthcare has also been a huge help. Kirsten was ready with rehabilitation exercises from the moment Charlie woke up from surgery, helping her begin the long process of recovery.

Charlie’s care has spanned Middlemore, Kidz First, Manukau Health Park and Auckland Hospital, with each playing a part in her journey.

And now, she’s finding her own way to give back.

Running has become an important part of Charlie’s life, although getting there wasn't straightforward. She first experimented with running during lockdown, but it was shortly before her diagnosis that she really began to embrace it.

After surgery, a return to running took time. The physical limitations were difficult, but Charlie also found the impact on her mental health significant.

Gradually, she worked her way back. Today, running is something that brings her a sense of achievement, freedom and wellbeing.

The Auckland Half Marathon is the next step and a chance to turn that personal journey into something positive for the children and families receiving care at Kidz First Hospital and NICU.

Charlie is currently studying primary school teaching, with hopes of working in schools for a few years before pursuing another ambition: becoming a play specialist at Middlemore. It’s a fitting goal for someone who understands just how much the right support can mean to a young person navigating hospital care.

For now, she’s focused on the marathon and raising funds for the hospital that has been part of her life in so many ways.

You can support Charlie’s fundraising for Kidz First https://aucklandmarathon26.grassrootz.com/middlemore-foundation/kirsten-van-20asten

Every contribution will help Middlemore Foundation support the care, comfort and wellbeing of tamariki and their whaanau at Kidz First Hospital and NICU.