Gwen Hartley, 40, has two daughters living with a rare form of microcephaly, a condition similar in some ways to cases linked to the Zika virus that caused widespread concern across South America.

She says it is not a life sentence, despite the fact that microcephaly can lead to a range of health challenges and differences in brain development.

Gwen’s daughter Claire, 14, was diagnosed with the rare condition at three months old, while Lola, now 9, was diagnosed while she was still in the womb. Both girls are unable to walk or speak and may experience seizures every day. Claire is only 90cm tall and weighs just over 10kg at 14, while younger sister Lola is only 60cm tall and weighs 5kg.

Lola and Claire are often mistaken by people around them for newborn babies because of their tiny stature, a result of their condition.

“But they are just like any other girls. They love listening to rap music and watching TV. They each have their own personality. Claire is gentle, while Lola has a fiery personality. She wants to be cuddled all day,” their mother revealed.

After Claire was diagnosed with microcephaly at three months old, Gwen and her husband, Scott, 40, were told they could not be certain she would reach her first birthday.

They were determined to give their daughter the best life possible. They gave her a nutritious diet to help Claire stay as healthy as possible and support her development. Despite all the uncertainty, little Claire continued to grow and made it to her first birthday.

The mother, now 41, said: “We felt completely overwhelmed when we were told Claire might only have a year. But we tried to focus on enjoying every day with her. Although Claire and Lola cannot walk or speak, they know how to make sounds, communicate through eye contact, and we understand each other completely.”

Gwen recalled: “When Claire was born, she would vomit after every feed. She struggled to gain weight and was at risk of serious complications from pneumonia. We had prepared ourselves for the hardest possibilities.” But the couple never considered giving up on their daughter. “We felt incredibly fortunate to have another day with our daughter. So we decided to bring her home and try to give her as natural a life as possible,” Gwen shared.

The family gave Claire plenty of fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs and goat’s milk. She eventually stopped vomiting and gained a little more weight than she had at birth. One year later, the family joyfully held a big celebration to mark her first birthday.

When Claire was four, Mrs Hartley became pregnant with Lola. This time, doctors detected that the baby had microcephaly while she was still in the womb. However, the family still chose to welcome Lola and care for her just as they had cared for her older sister Claire. And today, both girls continue to grow and enjoy life with their family.

“My two daughters are growing up in a community where they are known and accepted. Everyone knows them. Their older brother, Cal, is incredibly proud of his two little sisters. He never feels embarrassed by them,” their mother said.

“When my wife was pregnant with Lola, we knew for certain that we would welcome this child. I did not know how long she might live, but I simply wanted her to have the chance to experience life and be here with us like anyone else,” their father said.

The Zika virus has been linked to cases of microcephaly in babies and spread rapidly across several regions, raising global concern. The World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency at the time. Scientists have continued working to better understand the causes behind the rapid spread of the virus and its impact on families.