Birthday for motor neurone survivor Willie Terpstra

ROTORUA - Birthdays are always treasured but for motor neurone disease sufferer Willie Terpstra, turning 65 has extra meaning.

She might be another year older but today is also a reminder she is still alive -- and where's there's life, there's hope.

The Rotorua woman underwent controversial foetal cell surgery in China in April to curb her motor neurone disease.

Despite the limited success of the surgery, Mrs Terpstra is not one to give up on life and, with her husband Rein, is spending 10 days touring South Australia in a motorhome, making the most of the time she has left with him.

"I'll be a long time dead so I might as well enjoy life while I've got it," she said.

Since heading to China, Mrs Terpstra has become the "pin-up girl" for the terminal muscle-wasting illness, which afflicts up to 300 New Zealanders a year.

She admits the treatment, which involved transplanting cells from aborted foetuses into her brain, wasn't entirely successful.

Within hours of having surgery at Beijing West Hill Hospital, Mrs Terpstra was drinking and, within days, her talking, eating and breathing improved.

However, she has made limited progress since.

Swallowing is a struggle and it is increasingly difficult to eat and drink.

She can swallow soft foods, such as mashed potato and yoghurt, but it is not enough and has to top up her meals at least twice a day using blended food fed through a tube inserted into her stomach.

As the neurones in her body die, her muscles constantly twitch.

She takes two pills a day now to help her sleep at night.

She recently had botox injections to stop her drooling but when she is tired she still dribbles, and is unable to talk.

But despite her deterioration, she remains active and willing to give anything a try.

She is having acupuncture and reiki -- a technique used to promote relaxation and healing.

Other patients who have had the operation have been offered an all-expenses-paid return trip to China by surgeon Hongyun Huang for follow-up care.

Given the chance, Mrs Terpstra said she would go again but doubts if she would be invited because of her age.

Mr Terpstra has returned to work at Tokoroa's Kinleith sawmill, where he works as a paper tester.

Mrs Terpstra joked it had given her some "peace and quiet" around the house.

She plays bridge, cooks, gardens, walks her dog and looks forward to playing golf again when the hole in her stomach heals.

Mr Terpstra said the couple weren't planning too far into the future but were looking forward to spending time with family over Christmas.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)