As Angus Molnar races around his Richardson home, climbing on furniture, playing with his toys and digging in the garden, the five-year-old seems just like any other boy his age.
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He may be a little young to realise just how much of a miracle child he is in his family's eyes and what a precarious start he had to his precious life.
Angus was born 15 weeks premature in April 2009. He weighed only 800 grams, less than a bag of flour, and was just slightly longer than a ruler at 32cm.
It would be 18 days before his mother Rosy was able to hold her baby boy for the first time and 106 days before he was able to return home to his family after a lengthy stay in the neonatal intensive care unit at Canberra Hospital.
It was a difficult time for the family, during which Angus endured a collapsed lung, an infection, two lumbar punctures, multiple blood transfusions and 14 weeks on oxygen.
Ms Molnar's voice quivers and her eyes well up as she recalls the "amazing" day when they could finally leave the hospital with Angus.
Angus approaches and asks his mum if she is crying. "They're happy tears," she replies.
"It was pretty amazing – words can't really describe it," she said.
The Molnars understand just how hard it can be for families when a premature baby is born and can't speak highly enough of the NICU staff who cared for Angus.
"Their support was huge – the emotional support and the friendship. They're our angels here on earth," Ms Molnar said.
The Molnars are so grateful to the staff they visit every year on Angus' birthday with a cake.
"They love seeing him grow up and some of the nurses have become lifetime friends of ours," Ms Molnar said.
Having endured the difficulty that can come from having a premature baby, Ms Molnar and her husband Michael want to help others in a similar situation.
The couple, along with Angus and his two sisters Amber, 10, and Madeline, 18, will take part in the Life's Little Treasures Foundation's annual "Walk for Prems" event in October to help raise funds for families of premature or sick babies.
The foundation is Australia's leading charity dedicated to families of babies born premature or sick. All funds raised from the walk will help provide families like the Molnars with information and support.
Ms Molnar urged parents of premature or preterm babies to seek help if they needed it.
"Don't try to do it all on your own because it's a long battle – five years on and it still affects me," she said.
Although Angus had had a difficult start to life, he is now a happy healthy five-year-old.
Mr Molnar said they were amazed how far Angus had come.
"He dodged all the bullets from eye issues to hearing issues to brain issues ... we were told he could possibly have this, that or the other but he's absolutely perfect," he said.
Walk for Prems is on October 26 at Lake Tuggeranong Town Park. Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for children and can be done online at www.walkforprems.org.au.
