Sail for Nina month - MHYC's appeal

by Alison Hanson on 1 Mar 2007 Life changing surgery, for ten year old Nina Webster, is the prize Middle Harbour Yacht Club sailors are racing for, this march, in 'SAIL FOR NINA MONTH'. All aspiring sailors and local businesses are urged to jump aboard!

Nina’s Illness:
Nina’s Epilepsy is so severe that she has multiple seizures every day – up to ten an hour, each damaging the brain and requiring her to be resuscitated up to twice a day - the seizures attack the area responsible for learning and speech, leaving this bubbly little girl silent and introverted.

Nina has been medically treated with a little success – she can now say eight words and one third of the damaged brain area is functioning, allowing her to learn and take part in more normal activities like swimming and saving her pocket money to buy a new doll.

The price of this small improvement is horrendous side effects on her little body. Near-full recovery is only possible with a surgical technique called Multiple Sub-Phial Transection or 'MST', only carried out in Chicago in the US. Time is running out, Nina is now ten and the surgery must be done before the brain matures completely around the age of 12.

Experts in Chicago will attempt to pinpoint the focus of Nina’s Epilepsy using incredibly sensitive scanners, not yet available in Australia. Success could result in surgery or refinement of Nina’s medication, to narrow the search area for later surgery. It is hoped that an Australian neuro-surgeon can be trained during the process, to bring these critical skills back, to help more young Aussies.

‘Sail for Nina’ Month:
Karen, Nina’s mother is a keen sailor and Middle Harbour Yacht Club at The Spit, Mosman are aiming to raise $50,000 to send Nina to Chicago; at all sailing events in the month of March. All keen or aspiring sailors are urged to jump aboard and make a real difference to little Nina’s life.

• Sail for a donation and enjoy twilight racing from 5.30pm every Thursday night, until the end of daylight savings.

• Tickets will be on sale, for a major raffle to be drawn at the Bare Foot Ball on 30th March, with valuable prizes such as three nights in Hamilton Island, a flat screen TV, a quality digital camera. There will also be a nightly raffle each Thursday, the tickets going to the main raffle.

• Sausage sizzle for a gold coin will take place at regular Wednesday afternoon racing.

Action required for ‘Sail for Nina’ Month
All corporate participation, donations or prizes for the raffle will be very gratefully received. All offers for donations should be made via the Nina Webster Appeal website: contact@ninawebsterfund.com.au

The Nina Webster Appeal is supported by the Rotary Club of Frenchs Forest, NSW. More information can be found on appeal’s official website: www.ninawebsterfund.com.au

Middle Harbour Yacht Club:
Middle Harbour is one of Australia’s largest Yacht clubs, with strong roots in the Mosman community since 1939. It is located at the Spit, Mosman, NSW 2088. just seven kilometres north of the CBD. The club boasts a sailing school and supports a number of different yacht classes including Sydney 38’s, Adam’s 10’s and J24’s. It will be hosting one the season’s premiere events – the Audi Regatta, on the 3-4th March 2007. For more information on the club: www.mhyc.com.au

For more information on 'Sail for Nina' Month and the Nina Webster Appeal, please contact:
Karen Pringle-Webster
The Nina Webster Appeal
PO Box 571
Forestville
NSW 2087