Heroes we are helping this year
This December, we’re running for our 11 heroes. As part of Advent Running 2025, we’ll do our best to make their biggest wishes come true. Come run with us and show them they’re in our hearts.
Every year, we select our heroes based on nominations that anyone can make. The nominees are people, who face challenges all their life and they keep on fighting. And we are glad we can help them by financing their medical equipment or special therapies.
Get to know the stories of this year's heroes and join us in December to run and help together
Pavlík
When little Pavlík came into the world four years ago, his start in life was anything but easy. Complications during birth meant he had to spend his first days in intensive care. Since then, both his and his family’s lives have been filled with doctors, therapy sessions, and daily challenges.
Even as a baby, it was clear that Pavlík’s development wasn’t following the usual path. Although doctors initially reassured his parents that everything was fine, they felt deep down that something wasn’t right — and they sought help early. Over time, doctors diagnosed Pavlík with childhood autism, moderate intellectual disability, attention and behavioral disorders, as well as sensory processing and sleep disorders.
Despite all the challenges, Pavlík’s family has built their lives around helping him grow, learn, and find peace in the world around him. Their days are carefully planned to give him every possible opportunity to move forward — to be calmer, happier, and more connected.
Pavlík regularly takes part in occupational therapy, snoezelen therapy, hippotherapy, and other activities that help him progress. He also attends a special school, where he’s doing really well — but the tuition fees are a heavy financial burden for his family.
How Advenťák Runners Will Help?
Advenťák runners want to give Pavlík the best possible chance to continue learning and growing. They plan to cover a full year of tuition at the Merklín Special School — a place that means so much to Pavlík and his family.
With this support, Pavlík could spend more time at school — longer than his current four hours a day — giving him more opportunities to learn and interact with others.
Advenťák runners also hope to fund his hippotherapy sessions, which are an important part of his development and bring him great joy.
Štěpán
The story of 15-year-old Štěpánek began even before he was born, while he was still in his mother’s womb. Back then, he wasn’t alone — he was sharing that space with two siblings. Early in the pregnancy, doctors decided that one of the fetuses would need to be removed to increase the chances that at least two of the babies would be born completely healthy. Unfortunately, a tragic medical error occurred — the healthy fetus was terminated, and one of the remaining fetuses was injured. And so Štěpánek was born.
At six months old, he had to undergo brain surgery to allow his brain to develop symmetrically. During an MRI scan, doctors diagnosed him with neurological brain damage accompanied by epilepsy, impaired interhemispheric communication, severe hypotonic syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
Štěpánek is fully dependent on the help of others. He communicates with the world around him through a special sign language adapted to his limited motor skills and with the help of a tablet application that uses spoken pictograms. He enjoys ball games and exercising in a special gym designed for his needs.
For the past few years, Štěpánek has lived with his mother and his twin brother Aleš.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The Advenťák runners would like to fund a full year of intensive neurorehabilitation therapy for Štěpánek — therapy that plays a vital role in his development. Unfortunately, these sessions are not covered by health insurance, and his single mother simply cannot afford them within the family budget.
Viktorka
Viktorka is a cheerful seven-year-old girl who came into the world under difficult circumstances — she was born with oxygen deprivation, hypotonia, and a large diastasis. Despite this, she was discharged from the hospital as an apparently healthy newborn. Over time, however, her development began to lag behind. When she was two years old, she finally underwent neurological examinations and her first stay at a rehabilitation spa, where she learned how to walk.
Sadly, as time went on, Viktorka stopped speaking, playing, using her hands, and even eating on her own.
On October 27, 2023, her parents heard the diagnosis for the first time — Rett syndrome. It is a serious neurodevelopmental genetic disorder that causes regression in psychomotor development and comes with many additional complications.
Viktorka cannot eat or dress by herself, she wears diapers, and she struggles to walk — outdoors she always needs support or a stroller. She has severe problems with motor coordination and cannot use her hands, which means she cannot communicate in any way, not even through sign language or picture cards. Despite all these difficulties, her understanding of language and her social contact are gradually improving.
During her stay at the rehabilitation spa, Viktorka was introduced to a special communication program on a tablet that can be controlled with her eyes. She quickly understood how to use this assistive communication device, and her parents would very much like to get one for her. Unfortunately, this device is extremely expensive, and neither the health insurance company nor the local authority agreed to cover the cost.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The Advenťák runners would love to buy this special communication device for Viktorka, so that she can better communicate with the world around her and use it as support in her education at school.
Lidka
Lidka is a 12-year-old girl who was born healthy. However, during her preschool years, she began experiencing weakness in her legs, balance problems, and severe fatigue. Over time, her condition gradually worsened, and after her eighth birthday, Lidka was diagnosed with a very rare genetic disorder: Gorden-Holmes and Boucher-Neuhauser syndromes. It is a progressive neuromuscular disease that affects both the lower and upper limbs as well as parts of the autonomic muscles. Retinal dystrophy is also sometimes present. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for this condition.
Lidka’s mobility in her legs is gradually decreasing, she is losing muscle mass and strength, and her feet and overall posture are becoming deformed. This spring, she underwent a complex surgery on both legs, which allowed her to walk again with the help of orthoses and crutches.
Further surgeries and casting of her legs are expected in the near future.
Rehabilitation is absolutely essential for Lidka, as it significantly influences the progression of her disease. Unfortunately, intensive rehabilitation is not covered by health insurance.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The goal of the Advenťák runners is to fund a special four-week rehabilitation program for Lidka, which is not reimbursed by insurance and is extremely important for maintaining her leg mobility.
Mia
Mia is a 2.5-year-old girl who has already experienced life in four different families and whose brain was damaged during birth due to oxygen deprivation.
This little fighter has severe psychomotor developmental delays and currently functions at the level of a child around nine months old. She receives her nutrition through a tube directly into her stomach via a special pump and often vomits because she has severe reflux. Mia wears glasses with a +6.5 prescription to help her see the world, which fascinates her.
Mia is a very curious little girl who, despite her significant challenges, has learned to sit and crawl, is learning the sounds of animals, and constantly practices her mouth and tongue so that one day she can taste real food prepared in her new family.
Since May, Mia has been living with her new foster mother, who cares for her and also for a 15-year-old girl with atypical autism. Her foster mother exercises with Mia and works to help her eventually walk and run like other children.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The Advenťák runners would like to buy Mia a special stroller that she needs to move around and also fund intensive neurorehabilitation, which is not covered by insurance but is absolutely essential for her development.
Amálka a Natálka
Natálka and Amálka were born prematurely as twins in the 29th week of pregnancy. Both girls have cerebral palsy, which affects their motor skills. Amálka can move partially on all fours, while Natálka is bedridden and suffers from severe spasticity in the muscles and joints of her limbs.
Their parents provide round-the-clock care for the girls. They regularly travel with them from Nejdek to a special school in Cheb, a total of 130 km. The school offers an individualized approach and an environment that supports the development of both girls.
The little girls need regular rehabilitation and complementary therapies, which help relax their muscles, improve posture, and contribute to their overall health. These therapies are financially demanding, and the family currently does not have enough resources, especially due to the costs of medications and special equipment.
In the past year, the situation was further complicated by a longer hospitalization of Amálka due to pneumonia. The father had to stay home with the other children, which resulted in a loss of part of the family’s income.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The Advenťák runners would like to fund a full year of intensive neurorehabilitation for the girls, which is not covered by insurance but is extremely important for the twins and unfortunately cannot be covered by the family budget.
Tomášek
Tomášek was born eleven years ago, and right after birth, he wasn’t breathing. At first, none of the doctors knew what was wrong with him. It wasn’t until fourteen days later that one doctor thought he might have a very rare condition called Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS).
CCHS is a congenital disorder of the nervous system in which the brain cannot properly control breathing, especially during sleep. Most patients require mechanical ventilation to prevent suffocation and to be able to breathe.
Unfortunately, this diagnosis was confirmed very quickly in Tomášek’s case. At the beginning of his life, he was unable to breathe either during the night or during the day. Over time, this has improved, and if he isn’t sick or extremely tired, he can now breathe on his own during the day. However, he still needs mechanical ventilation at night.
In addition to CCHS, Tomášek also has severe intellectual disability and atypical autism as a result of a brain hemorrhage he suffered after birth.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
Tomášek needs many aids for his daily life, and the Advenťák Runners would like to help him by purchasing a new suction machine, an oxygen concentrator, and paying for a year of hippotherapy and snoezelen sessions, which Tomášek loves and which help him relax and calm down.
Terezka
Terezka is a beautiful thirteen-year-old girl who, almost three years ago, found herself in a completely different world. The family was just getting ready for a trip to the Beskydy Mountains, and Terezka went – as she always did – to dance in the small gym in the attic of their house. Unfortunately, she fell, and before anyone from the family could reach her to help her breathe again, she was left without oxygen for some time.
Since that accident in the gym, she has been in a vigilant coma – a special state between wakefulness and sleep. This young girl understands everything that happens around her and tries her best to respond, but her body doesn’t fully obey her yet. She is like a princess under a spell.
Every day is a battle. A battle for movement, for words, for contact. Her condition requires 24/7 care. Her mother has become not only her support, but also her nurse, physiotherapist, teacher, driver, and guide. Together, they are searching for a way to help Terezka return to full consciousness.
They are trying everything possible – from conventional medicine and various neurorehabilitation programs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to alternative approaches such as Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and craniosacral therapy, as well as healers – anyone who can bring even a spark of hope.
For the family, not only financial support is important, but also the awareness that others believe, too — that we believe Terezka’s condition can improve and that one day she will “wake up.”
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The Advenťák Runners would like to help Terezka by covering the cost of an intensive two-week neurorehabilitation therapy at the only specialized clinic in the Czech Republic, which unfortunately is not covered by health insurance.
By doing so, we want to show Terezka and her whole family that we are thinking of them — and to send them a little bit of hope.
Filip
When Filípek was still in his mommy’s belly, he was a completely healthy baby. Unfortunately, complications occurred during his birth, and he was born showing no signs of life. The doctors managed to revive him, but the consequences of his difficult start in life are something he — and his whole family — carry to this day.
Today, Filípek is a ten-year-old boy diagnosed with perinatal encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. He cannot walk, sit, or crawl and has a moderate intellectual disability. He relies on a wheelchair and requires 24-hour care.
Filípek loves trains, the metro, and all kinds of travel and trips.
Until recently, his dad carried him everywhere in a baby carrier, but Filípek has now outgrown it.
To make it possible for him to continue going on trips with his family — or even just spend time in the garden of their home in the countryside — he needs a special stroller.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The Advenťák Runners would like to buy Filípek a special stroller JOSI Wismi G2, so he can keep going on trips with his family and enjoy time outside in the garden.
Dalibor
Dalibor is a five-year-old boy who loves swimming – and even competes in it – paraclimbing, and spending time with his best buddy, his three-year-old little brother Vilda. Starting in January, the two boys will attend the same kindergarten.
The only thing Dalibor can’t do as well as Vilda is walk.
Dalda was born as a seemingly healthy baby, but after six months he stopped developing as he should have. And so began a long journey through doctors and therapists.
On his first birthday, doctors identified the cause of his delayed development: spinal muscular atrophy type 2 (SMA type 2).
Within a month of the diagnosis, Dalibor received gene therapy, which allowed his body to start producing the missing protein. Thanks to that, the nerve cells were saved, leading to a stabilization of his muscle strength.
However, during the first year of his life, this insidious disease caused significant and irreversible damage to his small body. Thanks to continuous rehabilitation and the use of special orthoses from the company Pohlig, Danda still has hope that one day he will be able to learn to walk.
How the Advenťák Runners Will Help?
The goal of the Advenťák Runners is to help Danda take his first steps – either by funding intensive neurorehabilitation or by providing new special orthoses, depending on what the little boy will need most in the coming year.
