Operation In Scotland For Crippled Child

Press, Volume C, Issue 29523, 26 May 1961, Page 20

Operation In Scotland For Crippled Child

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. May 25. A tribute to the New Zealand Crippled Children Society was paid today by Mrs C. Priestley, of Gisborne, aboard the liner Rangitane on which she will sail for the United Kingdom, with her 10-year-o'.d son Maurice, en route for Edinburgh. The Gisborne branch of the society, she explained, had made possible Maurice's trip to spend a year in the Princess Margaret Rose Hospital. During this period there is good hope that his serious spinal curvature, developing after poliomyelitis, will be corrected by Professor James. Maurice was attacked by polio at the age of two. For a year he could not even lift his head from the pillow, said Mrs Priestley. Gradually some mobility was coaxed into Limbs and today Maurice's handshake would match that of any boy of his age. He wears calipers on his badly crippled legs but with his crutches can get about not too badly. The lad's own determination was undoubtedly part of the cure to the present stage. As far as the spinal deformity is concerned, “It's got to the stage where an operation is necessary,” Mrs Priestley explained. She explained that Maurice had been under the care of Mr W. Park, an orthopaedist

in Gisborne. The surgeon had . ‘ done a wonderful job” of helping the boy for many years and eventually wrote to Professor Jamet. I The Edinburgh specialist [ concurred with Mr Park's [ diagnosis indicating an operation and asked that Maurice ; be sent to Scotland for that purpose. Apart from having helped i Maurice over the years, the ' Crippled Children Society in ' Gisborne then -went into action and with public sub- : scriptions has enabled Mrs ; Priestley to take Maurice for J the treatment. ■ They've even made sure that I won't starve if I don't ; get a job in Edinburgh while Maurice is in hospital,” said , Mrs Priestley. “Members of the society in 1 Britain will meet us at Southampton and again at Edin- . bur git. ‘ “We could never have man- ■ aged the trip without the society’s help financially and ' every other way.” ; Maurice has not been fur- ; then from home than Napier • before and Mrs Priestley has " ’ never travelled in a ship, ■ even to the South Island. i