Southern View: January 20, 2022

Thursday January 20 2022 9
$33,000 needed to meet surgery goal
• By Kristie Boland
WITH $33,000 left to raise to hit
the goal target of $90,000, Renee
Veal’s life-changing jaw surgery
is beginning to look within
reach.
A concert, raffles and other
events are in the pipeline to help
Veal reach that target including
a concert by Lyttelton band the
Settlers.
Settlers vocals/band member
Anthony Horan said playing a
show to raise funds for Veal is a
“no-brainer.”
“We take for granted some
things in everyday life that other
people struggle with …[we’re]
more than happy to help out,”
Horan said.
Fundraising raffles are ongoing
and have included tickets to
the L.A.B/Shapeshifter concert in
Hagley Park last weekend along
with accommodation prizes for
various places.
“We’re getting very, very close
to the finish line which is very
exciting … it’s a huge amount
of money I’m very thankful for
everyone, I never thought I’d get
this far,” Veal said.
Veal, who grew up in Rāpaki,
needs a total jaw reconstruction
and jaw joint replacement operation.
For the past 10 years, the
26-year-old has struggled to
sleep and eat properly and often
experiences migraines.
“The pain is pretty consistent,
some days I have really bad days
some days I have good days,”
Veal said.
Veal has significant widespread
musculoskeletal pain due
to an underlying hypermobility
syndrome.
This makes her joints hyperflexible,
causing soft tissue
injuries, bone wear, joint tear
SUPPORT:
Nuk Korako
with and
Renee Veal
before his
720km cycling
odyssey
from Banks
Peninsula to
Bluff.
PHOTO:
GEOFF SLOAN
and early arthritis.
The most disabling area of
pain is her jaw, which often
dislocates. This is known as
hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos
Syndrome.
“I try not to let it [affect me]. If
I talk too much, which is quite a
common thing for me, at the end
of the day I have a sore jaw and
headaches, but I’m used to it now
and I know what to expect,” Veal
said.
The specialised jaw surgery
costs about $90,000.
Replacing Veal’s jaw will
ease her chronic daily pain and
greatly improve her life.
The public health system will
not fund Veal’s procedure, so the
community has been rallying
together since June last year to
raise the funds.
Last October former National
list MP for the Port Hills Nuk
Korako biked 720km from
Rāpaki to Bluff and raised about
$30,000 for Veal’s surgery.
Korako and his wife Christine
are continuing
their support for Veal and
have some ideas for future
fundraisers.
Veal is overwhelmed by the
support she has seen so far.
“Just a huge thank you to
everyone who donated or
spread the word [we’ve] been
overwhelmed with the generosity
coming in from people all over
the place. I’ve been blown away
by the kindness of people, it’s a
very humbling experience.
“It’s a huge amount of money
I’m very thankful for everyone, I
never thought I’d get this far.”
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