Zach's Story

Zach was born 2002 with Unilateral Facial Paralysis, otherwise known as Facial Palsy. He couldn't move the right hand side of his face. When he cried or smiled his face would twist to the left. As he grew, the functioning muscles on the left of his face grew stronger with all the extra work they were doing, while the muscles on his right progressively atrophied and drooped with lack of use. His face grew increasingly distorted, and as he learnt to speak, it was difficult to form sounds accurately.

As this is a rare condition, the local surgeons had very little experience with the necessary surgery, with very unpredictable outcomes. We were widely advised to take him to Toronto, Canada to be treated by world - leading surgeon in this specialty, Dr Ronald Zuker. He has decades of experience with this nerve and muscle transplant surgery, and reliable outcomes.

There was no public health funding available for this, however, and health insurance couldn't cover it as it was a condition Zach was born with.

Zach was able to access this surgery because of the generosity and compassion of Rotary members, alongside other kind donors (various organisations, individuals and proceeds his parents own fundraising projects).

 

Zach's parents contacted Rotary for assistance in 2004. I immediately realised that the Palmers were worthy of the Clubs assistance and that a successful operation would be a lasting and daily benefit. In addition the work and dedication of Zach's parents and their ability to raise in excess of $20,000 by their own efforts deserved our support.

In September 2006 Zach underwent Stage 1 of the surgery, a sural nerve graft from his lower leg into his face, grafted into the functioning 7th Cranial Nerve on his left side. He returned to New Zealand for several months for the graft to heal. June 2007 he returned to Toronto for Stage 2 of the surgery, a gracilis muscle transplant from his inner thigh implanted into his right cheek and connected to the waiting nerve graft. Since returning to Auckland he has been working through the prescribed muscle retraining programme involving physiotherapy and speech therapy.

The outcome has been wonderful. At 7 years old, Zach has a gorgeous, spontaneous near-symmetrical smile and his speech is much clearer. He is so much more confident.

Zach's parents are deeply grateful to Rotary for changing his life. Key donors organised by the club were; Rotarians from the 9910 District, the Rotary-administered Harold Thomas Trust, donations from the District Governors Changeover and Epsom Rotary. The club itself supported the project financially and personally.

Ken Fearnley