A Tauranga girl, born with a rare birthmark that covered parts of her face, eyes and nose, has set her sights on a conference in California, where she can meet medical professionals specialising in her condition.
Zahnee Campbell, 9, was first featured in the Bay of Plenty Times several years ago when raising money for surgery to treat her birthmark - a facial vascular hemangioma tumour, which grows on the surface of her skin and beneath it.
The mark, which is associated with Phace syndrome, affected her sight, co-ordination, caused headaches and painful pressure on her shoulders.
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Zahnee's mum, Jade Riley, said while surgery had alleviated the symptoms and improved her daughter's sight, she was still living with the effects of the syndrome.
"She has headaches, exhaustion and struggles with her eye being the way that it is, with the mild facial deformity," she said. "She gets a lot of comments about her face. She struggles ... people do say things."
Ms Riley hoped by going to the Vascular Birthmark Foundation conference, being held in California in mid-October, she would be able to meet specialists who might have ideas about what future treatments were available for Zahnee.
But despite the effects of the syndrome, Ms Riley said Zahnee was doing well.
To help Zahnee
* Go to givealittle.co.nz/cause/support4zahnee
* To buy Zahnee's book, contact nightowl12@xtra.co.nz - costs $12 including postage, proceeds will go towards Zahnee's trip