Family joins Run for the Kids to honour baby girl after tragic loss

The Adamopoulos family are on a mission at this year’s Run for the Kids. Not only are they participating for the first time, but they’re doing it to honour their late baby daughter.

The Adamopoulos family are on a mission at this year’s Run for the Kids.

Not only are they taking part in the charity fundrasier for the first time, but they’re doing it to honour their late daughter, Chloe, and other premature babies treated at The Royal Children’s Hospital.

“Last year I gave birth to twin daughters, Chloe and Mia,” Francine Adamopoulos said.

“The girls were born prematurely, so they had to be transferred from the Royal Women’s to the Butterfly Newborn Intensive Care ward at The Royal Children’s Hospital.”

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The twins received around-the-clock care by the Butterfly NICU’s team of dedicated neonatologists, neonatal nurses and allied health specialists.

Jim and Francine Adamopoulos cuddle their newborn daughters Mia and Chloe on Mother’s Day last year.

“I’ll never forget the lengths the staff went to accommodate us. On Mother’s Day last year they moved around all kinds of medical equipment and machinery just for the girls to be able to cuddle one another for the first time,” said Francine.

“I finally got to nurse them both at once, which is something that I’ll forever cherish.”

Not long after, on May 27, 2018, Chloe passed away.

To honour their daughter’s memory and all the NICU angels who didn’t make it, Francine and husband Jim launched a team fundraising group, the NICU Butterflies and Angels, ahead of this year’s Run for the Kids.

Francine and Jim, with 10-month-old daughter Mia, are part of a team taking part in Run for the Kids to support the Royal Children’s Hospital NICU Butterfuly Ward. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“We wanted to do something for everyone impacted by the Butterfly ward; whether it’s families of patients or the highly trained medical staff who we can’t thank enough,” Francine said.

The couple and daughter Mia will join fellow teammates on April 7 for the event.

To support their efforts, donate at the Run for the Kids website.

You can also enter either the 12.8km long course or 5.2km Woodlea Short Course.