Charity Variety Show Spectacular
Andre Vegas & Co presents a charity Variety Show Spectacular in Nelson supporting Brittany & Emily.
Featuring Luke Whaanga (NZ Idol), Up Close & Classical company of Dance Nelson, Andre Vegas & Company, Latin Dancing, Paul Madsen & much more.
On Firday 21 August at Club Waimea from 7.30pm. Tickets available from Swinging Sultan/Motueka, Access Mobility/Richmond, Club Waimea and door sales available until sold out. $25 adult, $40 double and one child free with every playing adult (or $5 each).
Brittany & Emily are travelling to the Greenberg Skeletal Dysplasia Clinic in Baltimore USA, where they will receive a comprehensive review and treatment plan for out doctors here in NZ.
Introducing Brittany & Emily
Both of these gorgeous girls have conditions that require intensive and ongoing medical care. Brittany was not expected to live at birth. Brittany is now 11 years old and Emily is 7 years old. As parents we are increasingly concerned for the wellbeing of our girls and know that our medical experts here in New Zealand are lacking in the experience when faced with such unique children with such a range of complex and varied issues. Our families have become good friends even though Emily lives in Tauranga and Brittany in Nelson, we continue to provide support to each other, and the girls are in contact via SKYPE video phone which keeps them in touch.
We have the opportunity for our girls to be seen at the Greenberg Skeletal Dysplasia Clinic in Baltimore in the United States, where they will receive a comprehensive review and treatment plan for our doctors here in New Zealand. Our appointment is on 26 August 2009. It will be incredibly expensive for us to make this trip and we need financial support with constant hospital visits and trips to Starship it takes a toll financially on our families and now the opportunity to see the best doctors is available we need help to make it happen. We have included a little snippet of each of the girls to show how incredible they are and ask for your support to enable this trip to happen.
Chris & Susan White-Johnson (cwj@ihug.co.nz) John & Jo Palairet (j.palairet@clear.net.nz)
Donations can be made into the girl’s accounts at Westpac Bank B R White-Johnson 03 0693 0262301-25
E K Palairet 03 0374022732200
Brittany has had a rough ride over the years and required supplementary oxygen until age 5 and artificial feeding until 4 years; she was born with a bilateral cleft palate which was difficult to repair due to her feeding and C-spine issues. She is extremely small around the size of a 1 year old and has endured many painful surgeries including a spinal fusion in 2007 which has left her unable to grow or walk any more, and a further fusion to her C-spine in 2008. Brittany now requires urgent advice and surgery to correct her hips and pelvis. Despite all of the bumps in life Brittany has survived and is a bright and cheerful little-big girl and enjoys school playing music and going on the computer.
Emily has also had a rough journey over the short time of her life. Emily remains undiagnosed and is suspected to be the only case in the world. By the age of 12 months Emily’s chest began to change – pectus excavartum her scoliosis then started to develop and is now a 100 degree curve. We feel helpless as parents watching her little body deteriorate. Emily has had no surgery at this stage due to the uncertainty of the risks regarding her heart. She also has unrepaired bilateral club feet which have not been able to be corrected. Emily does not attend school as even a simple cold develops into pneumonia and then hospital. Despite all this Emily enjoys her life to the best of her ability and with a fantastic attitude we are very proud of her.