By MONIQUE DEVEREUX and NZPA
Kirsty McFadden stands just 1.38m tall and weighs about 40kg. The 17-year-old has a neurological disorder that affects her spine and she is no stranger to major surgery.
She has so many implants and plates her mother Jenny describes her as "full of titanium."
Kirsty blames Agent Orange, the toxic chemical her father Paul lived, ate, slept and worked with while serving in Vietnam.
"Here I am, 17 years old, bearing the scars of a war my father fought in over 30 years ago."
In Australia or the United States Kirsty's family would be entitled to Government compensation to help with her ongoing medical costs.
In New Zealand, they cannot even get recognition that Kirsty's disorder is related to her father's war service.
In Wellington yesterday, the Prime Minister held talks with Vietnam veterans, giving Kirsty hope that things may soon change.
Helen Clark met veterans' representatives to discuss her plans for improving services provided to them.
Proposed changes include allowing veterans who are under 65 and receiving a pension to do some paid work and not lose their benefit.
Helen Clark said she also wanted to move "into line with Australia on the conditions which are recognised as arising from veterans' service, either for their own health or their children's health."
That would be a welcome change, says the McFadden family.
Mrs McFadden did not realise there were problems with her daughter's development until she was almost 2.
Around the same time there was a lot of publicity from overseas about the connection between Agent Orange and birth defects - which Mr McFadden hid from his wife so as not to worry her.
"While we can't really be 100 per cent certain, it's hard not to make the connection now," said Mrs McFadden.
Kirsty has a firmer opinion of how she came to be born with diastematomyelia, or Tethered Cord Syndrome.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, which was also sent to the Herald, she said: "There is no doubt in my mind that my birth defects were caused by my father's exposure to Agent Orange.
"I am fortunate. I am able to walk, talk, participate in everyday activities and generally live life like a normal teenager."
Kirsty said her father had chosen to go to the Vietnam war, but he did not anticipate the effect his involvement would have on his future children.
"I do not blame him for my neurological condition, but I do not see why I should pay the price for my father's representation of New Zealand in Vietnam."
Yesterday, Kirsty said Helen Clark's talks with veterans was "a great start."
She said she would continue to speak out about her condition because her family and others in similar situations deserved recognition and compensation.
Helen Clark agreed that the veterans deserved greater recognition, and said the legislative changes needed about pensions and rehabilitative work would be addressed this year.
Any changes would apply to all veterans, not just those who served in Vietnam.
Battle continues long after the war
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