London Greek Radio

Nikki Christou aged 12 is born in London and is a Greek Cypriot. She is truly a heroic and a brave young girl and her bravery has been recognised by the Pride of Britain Awards. Nikki has received the Child of Courage Award and was presented to her in the popular TV event which was broadcast on ITV.

At the age of six, young Nikki and her parents noticed visible veins on the right side of her face. She was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM), where there are abnormal connections between arteries and veins. The condition causes intense pain, in most cases is incurable and leads to potentially fatal nosebleeds.

So far Nikki has undergone 28 operations and endured more than 300 hospital visits as doctors try to manage her condition.

Her ability to turn things around and extracting the positives have aided her not only in winning the award, but what she does for others. She has set up her own Youtube channel, which has attracted four millions viewers and she has seventy nine thousand subscribers. She creates videos out of anything she holds precious, gives make-up tips and offers advice to people struggling to cope with chronic illnesses. Above all she feels comfortable talking about her condition to many people and this way, Nikki is incredibly helping people who may have their own struggles and illnesses.

Nikki through the #prideofbritain Twitter page said, ”I try to teach people that beauty lies within,” very inspiring we think and totally agree with her opinion here.

”People contact me who have AVMs and other confidence issues and I want my channel to be a community where people find that they can imperfectly perfect in their own special way. I’ve found people who have become my best friends. It’s nice to know you’re not as alone as you think.”

Nikki has now been recognised by The Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards, which, in partnership with TSB, honour Britain’s unsung heroes.

Nikki collected her award for Child of Courage at an all-out celebrity event at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel where the guests included Prime Minister Theresa May, Prince Charles, and Simon Cowell. Though particularly, she was very pleased to have it presented to her by her favourite TV person Mary Berry, who hosts ‘The Great British Bake Off’, accepting her award to a rapturous applause by the crowd.

With her family and supporters, Nikki has also raised almost £400,000 for research into AVM at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she has been treated, and the University College London.

”I’m not going to lie and say it doesn’t get me down or make me angry,” Nikki continues,

”But you can be either negative and not enjoy life or be positive and block out all the negativity in your life and live a lovely, healthy, joyful and happy life.”

Nikki and her parents had few places to turn at first, due to her condition being so rare, so they started The Butterfly AVM charity to raise AVM awareness, support and funds for research.

Nikki adds: ”I want people who have an AVM in the future not to have to go through all the things my family I and other AVM survivors have gone through.”

We at London Greek Radio are proud of you Nikki Christou and wish you all the best in everything you do. Good health to you!

Article written by Tony Neophytou