Five-year-old Jamie-Lee Bula has returned to her home in Fiji seizure free thanks to the expertise of staff at The Royal Children’s Hospital and the generosity of donors from the Variety Children’s Medical Missions – South Pacific.

Jamie-Lee was experiencing epileptic seizures and was not able to receive adequate treatment near her home.  Her seizures were so severe that her development had stopped and indeed she had lost many skills.

Local charities were having difficulties raising funds to get her to RCH but Wayne Adsett and Peter Drummond from Variety Children’s Medical Missions – South Pacific came to the rescue when they heard of Jamie-Lee’s condition.  They teamed up with their Australian friends Dr David Marsh and Mrs Clair Marsh who co-ordinated the Australian end.

Surgeon Miss Wirginia Maixner and neurologist Dr Simon Harvey from the RCH are thrilled with the outcome of her surgery.  When she arrived at the RCH at the end of May she was wheelchair bound.  She’s now walking, and might be running when she returns to her mother in Fiji.

Since her surgery she’s had no further seizures and her last EEG showed a normal reading.

“The change in Jamie-Lee is amazing,” said Miss Maixner.  “She was introverted and quiet when we first met here; now she’s active and interested in everything that’s going on around her.  It’s fantastic.”

Media enquiries Cathy Heycock 9345 5522 and page or 0411 988 265