Teen has a $75,000 shot at staying active
Tall, lean and beautiful, 13-year-old Nikau Parker embodies the qualities of the native palm she was named after.
Her mother Noa Vodnizky named Nikau after the strength and flexibility of the tree – qualities her daughter shows not only in her personality but through her talents in sports such as netball, rugby, volleyball and running.
But now a progressive spinal deformity is threatening Nikau’s action-packed life in Nelson. After a fruitless search in New Zealand, Noa and Nikau are pinning their hopes on a $75,000 procedure in Turkey this month.
Noa first noticed a significant change in her daughter’s posture three years ago. Her pelvis was unaligned, and her ankle became sore from pressure.
She was diagnosed shortly afterwards with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), a deformity that causes her spine to curve in an ‘‘S’’ shape. AIS progresses rapidly and causes severe and irreversible complications if untreated.
At Nikau’s age, the disease will increasingly restrict her movements, such as twisting, turning, bending and jumping. She has already stopped mountainbiking and cross-country running because of it.
Nikau said the pain had increased over time, but the cramplike feeling in her back had become a somewhat normal part of her everyday life.
‘‘I try not to think about it when I play sports, because I’m really competitive,’’ said Nikau, who plays for her St Joseph’s School netball team.
Apart from curtailing her sporting activities, Noa’s fear is that if Nikau becomes a mother in future, she will not be able to lean down and kiss her child on the forehead.
After talking with many national and international surgeons over three years, Noa is sure that the best option for Nikau is a procedure called vertebral body tethering (VTB), a minimally invasive process that will use braces on her spine, straightening it as she continues to grow.
Turkish surgeon and specialist
in scoliosis Professor Ahmed Alanay has told Noa that Nikau is the perfect candidate for VTB, and has stressed to her that ‘‘time is of the essence’’.
The only option currently available in New Zealand for Nikau is spinal fusion, an invasive surgery which Noa says can lead to physical and neurological complications.
Noa and Nikau need to fly to Turkey for the surgery with Alanay in the next two weeks, regardless of the money raised beforehand.
So far, Nikau has received more than $28,000 towards her $75,000 goal, through a givealittle page launched by Noa on Monday and other donations.
Nikau’s classmates at St Joseph’s have told her about plans for fundraisers, including a car wash being organised by her netball team.
Otherwise, Noa has arranged personal loans from friends and family. She will still need to rely on further donations and fundraisers after the surgery to repay the loans after Nikau comes back from Turkey.
Nikau hopes the operation will mean she will ‘‘be able to do cool things that my friends can do without pain’’.
‘‘I’m looking forward to it’’. To donate, go to givealittle.co.nz/ cause/align-with-nikau.
Other fundraising projects include a car wash planned by Nikau’s St Joseph Gold netball teammates; Tanya Nock and Lisa Allan organising yoga with live music at Wellness Movement on July 22; and Emily and Mandy of Balance organising a quiz night.