Girl Born “Inside Out” Sets Sights On Manchester

Join Vilma at the start line of the Junior and Mini Great Manchester Run on Saturday 21 May by entering here: Greatrun.org/manchester

A schoolgirl who underwent life-saving surgery at just minutes old after she was born with her organs outside of her tiny body is to celebrate her full recovery by raising money for two local charities.

Vilma Gromek, from Manchester, was born with her stomach and bowel outside of her body inside a small bag of skin.

Brave Vilma faced a major operation at just minutes old to put the organs back to where they should be in her small body.

She was diagnosed with Gastroschisis prior to her birth and her mum Andrea was advised at her ten week scan to terminate the pregnancy because she was told there was little hope of her surviving.

It meant that unborn Vilma grew inside the womb with her organs outside of her body and it was feared she would not survive labour.

But Andrea refused to give up on her “little miracle” and after she gave birth to her baby, Vilma was whisked away for an emergency operation to repair the organs and put them inside her through a small hole in her belly button.

Vilma, now 11, is fighting fit and is determined to raise as much money as possible for St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester, where she was a patient as a baby.

She will take part in the Junior Great Manchester Run on Saturday 21 May where she will also support Pet’s Corner in Longford Park, which is entirely funded on donations.

Andrea, 49, said: “I was offered a termination but we had spent two years trying for a baby, I wasn’t about to give up on her.

“I wanted to give her a chance, and here she is, my little miracle and fighter. “It was really scary when Vilma was born, I didn’t want to look down at her organs so they wrapped them in cling film before whisking her away for her operation.

“She was very ill, like she was inside out. I didn’t get time to hold her properly because she had to go straight for the operation.

“But she managed to pull through after the procedure, it was amazing to finally be able to look ahead and plan our life as I was determined not to look to the future when her’s was in doubt.”

The North West biggest and most popular children’s running event returns to Etihad Campus on Saturday 21 May where thousands of youngsters can run, walk or jog through the iconic venue.

Vilma is taking part in her sixth Junior and Mini Great Manchester Run and Andrea believes she has really caught the running and fundraising bug.

Andrea added: “Vilma is aware that she used to be a poorly girl but she is not in any pain now.

“She has grown into a very happy and healthy young person. I check on her a lot more than I should because I know what she has been through.

“Vilma is very active, she swims, cycles, rides, body-boards, walks for miles, so we came up with the idea that she would take part in the Junior Great Manchester Run for charity.

“She has ran for the hospital before and now she is running for the local park’s pet corner, as it is run by volunteers and she adores animals.

“It’s strange to think that a doctor didn’t think she was worth having, she obviously was!”

To support Vilma’s cause, follow the link to her Just Giving page here: https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/vilma-gromek

The North West biggest and most popular children’s running event returns to Etihad Campus on Saturday 21 May where thousands of youngsters can run, walk or jog through the iconic venue.

With limited entries available, Join Vilma at the Junior and Mini Great Manchester Run, open to children of all abilities between 3 – 15 years old. Enter now at: Greatrun.org/Manchester