Bio: Ava Szajnuk (Zanik)
Ava Szajnuk (Zanik) is a 17-year-old junior at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born a healthy child and hit all of her milestones early. When she was three years old, they found an arachnoid cyst. When Ava was five years old, she was told she had an undiagnosed genetic dysfunction, an undiagnosed autonomic neuropathy and many more syndromes. In 2013, Ava went on to have four cranial surgeries due to a subdural hygroma and is now shunt dependent. Ava continues to search for answers for the root cause of her disease processes. She has two siblings and a mother that all have an undiagnosed rare disease. Ava is on the Advisory Board for the Rare and Undiagnosed Network (RUN). She has spoken publicly at the Utah State Capitol as well as at the University of Utah Health to the freshman classes of medical students. She is a patient, a caregiver and an advocate. Although Ava’s disease process has hindered many of her physical abilities, it has given her the opportunity to see life through a more empathetic lens. Ava is talented at writing, singing, and drawing. She is a member of the Varsity Congressional Debate team at her school. She placed third at her state tournament and is now one of the top 15 Congressional debaters in all of Utah. Ava also qualified to compete in the 100th-Annual National Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa this year for Senate Congressional Debate. From this passion, she started a club to teach Congressional Debate to local middle schoolers. She is also head of the Activities Committee for the RISE Ambassadors at her school, a selective student leadership program dedicated to service. Ava aspires to have a career as a public policy analyst with a focus in healthcare policy, and to one day influence the policy that will directly affect the people in her community. Her mother is the Co-founder and Executive Director of the Rare and Undiagnosed Network (RUN) and her father is the GM for the NBA Utah Jazz. Learn more about Ava’s Journey