When doctors discovered Myah Wallace's underdeveloped cerebellum, which controls balance and muscle co-ordination, they told her parents she'd likely never walk or talk.
But Wallace's mom, Angela Carroll-Wallace, said doctors didn't reckon with her daughter's fierce determination. And now, after 16 years of defying medical expectations, Wallace is preparing for her most ambitious feat yet: a trek to Peru's Machu Picchu in October.
"I always wanted to go there and I always pick the most difficult thing," Wallace said with a grin, her voice laboured, but her eyes quick.
Carroll-Wallace, who is accompanying Wallace on the trek and who often serves as her daughter's voice, said the expedition will fulfill two of Wallace's dreams: to see Machu Picchu itself and to inspire kids with disabilities in developing countries.
"I hope to show them that anything is possible, because with me, with my disabilities, I'm doing this, so maybe they can do whatever they want," Wallace said.
The mother-daughter team from Roberts Creek will trek with Equip KIDS International, which works with disabled kids in Peru and operates a trek to Machu Picchu to raise funds and awareness for kids with disabilities.
Carroll-Wallace said her daughter will be the first person with disabilities to participate in the 44-kilometre, four-day trek to the sacred Incan site with the organization.
And with five months to go, Carroll-Wallace said they've started a training regimen, walking 10 km every Sunday from the Gibsons and Area Community Centre to Roberts Creek General Store.
When walking, Wallace uses her mom's arm as a banister to steady herself. Wallace also counts on her mom to cue her to hazards on the road, as she damaged her own depth perception as a child when a lack of sensation in her face resulted in her stabbing a pencil into her own eye.
"We're working on a lot of audio cues from me, so 'OK: divot,' 'OK: hill' 'OK: rock coming up,' Carroll-Wallace said.
They are also taking yoga, and Wallace is riding a horse, which is helping her body learn the rhythms of forward motion, instead of her default "penguin" stride.
"I was walking side-to-side, but with the horse riding I'm getting better at going straight," Wallace said.
Beyond the training, mother and daughter are actively fundraising the costs of the trek, plus money for Equip KIDS International, in a campaign they're calling Anything Is Possible. They have planned a fundraiser for Sunday, June 6, at Roberts Creek Hall from 1 to 5 p.m. The event will feature a silent auction and bake sale, as well as improv duo Hip. Bang! plus music by Deanna Cartea, Bonar & Liz, Cumulus Discord, Carnival ERA and (Wallace's sister) Skye Wallace & Richard Lam; admission is free. Donations to the campaign can also be made online at www.myah-anything-is-possible.com.
And Carroll-Wallace said that in fundraising efforts to date, the Coast community has already been very supportive.
"It's amazing, this community," she said. "We realize we're not going to Peru by ourselves anymore. It's like the whole community is rooting for us and wanting pictures and stuff like that. We're not just doing this by ourselves."
