Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Book depicts life with muscular dystrophy

By Zaryd Wilson
Whanganui Chronicle·
11 Sep, 2016 06:21 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

TALK TO ME: Niki Wright-Jackman is happy to dispel myths about MD. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

TALK TO ME: Niki Wright-Jackman is happy to dispel myths about MD. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Don't assume anything about Niki Wright-Jackman. Just ask.

The Whanganui woman is one of 17 whose story is published in Beyond DNA; Stories of Challenge and Triumph, a book published by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

The book was launched last week and features people talking about living with a neuromuscular condition. It covers topics such as circumstances surrounding diagnosis, prejudice at school or in the workplace and access to healthcare and funding.

In the book, Mrs Wright-Jackman talks about her experience with pregnancy as someone with spinal muscular atrophy.

"It was actually quite a challenging and a difficult time," Mrs Wright-Jackman told the Chronicle.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Not so much because I am the way I am but because of other people's attitudes.

"The medical profession really didn't know what to do with me. I didn't fit into the box of a regular pregnancy."

She got a lot of negative comments and cases of people being reluctant to deal with someone with her condition.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Midwives not wanting to offer the personal care she needed and that she would have got if she was at home was one example she talked about in the book.

"The book was a great opportunity to share that because I was incredibly lonely during that time.

"It just seemed like no one in the whole of New Zealand had had a disability and had a baby."

Mrs Wright-Jackman's child is now a healthy 5-year-old who has just started school.

She hoped the book would increase people's understanding of people who live with neuromuscular conditions.

"I think it's just about awareness and asking us how can you help. It's not about putting up barriers," she said.

"I suppose it's better to communicate or to ask than assume. It's very hard to say don't judge a book by its cover because what you see is easy to judge.

"But I'd rather you talk to me than about me."

The book was launched as part of the MDA's Week of Freedom appeal to raise both funds and awareness.

Neuromuscular condition is an umbrella term which describes a variety of progressive muscle disorders, many of which are genetic and therefore impact on families.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

-Beyond DNA; Stories of Challenge and Triumph is selling for $25 with all proceeds going towards the MDA. To buy a copy visit www.mda.org.nz or email info@mda.org.nz.

To make an immediate $3 dollar donation, text 2386.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Chaos as Ruapehu council rejects officials' advice on water

10 Jul 03:15 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Strong winds bring weather warning and watches

10 Jul 03:00 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

'Values-led' construction company takes top prize at Māori Business Awards

10 Jul 01:00 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Chaos as Ruapehu council rejects officials' advice on water

Chaos as Ruapehu council rejects officials' advice on water

10 Jul 03:15 AM

The officials' recommendation was estimated to save the community $40 million.

Strong winds bring weather warning and watches

Strong winds bring weather warning and watches

10 Jul 03:00 AM
'Values-led' construction company takes top prize at Māori Business Awards

'Values-led' construction company takes top prize at Māori Business Awards

10 Jul 01:00 AM
Whanganui missing child safe and well

Whanganui missing child safe and well

10 Jul 12:05 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP