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Toddler with 'lethal condition' finds comfort with medicinal cannabis

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 29 Jan 2019, 10:22AM
Keira Mcmurdo 3 is one of three people in the world with a genetic condition known as FUT8. Photo / Supplied
Keira Mcmurdo 3 is one of three people in the world with a genetic condition known as FUT8. Photo / Supplied

Toddler with 'lethal condition' finds comfort with medicinal cannabis

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 29 Jan 2019, 10:22AM

An Invercargill toddler with a condition likely to cut her life short at the age of 4 is finding some comfort thanks to medicinal cannabis.

Keira Mcmurdo is one of just three people in the world with a rare condition known as FUT8.

She has a life expectancy of four years  and can't talk, swallow or walk. For most of her life she has had up to 30 seizures a day.

Keira's mum Sascha Abey says medicinal cannabis isn't a cure for her baby but has been life-changing. Photo / Supplied

Keira's mum Sascha Abey says medicinal cannabis isn't a cure for her baby but has been life-changing. Photo / Supplied

Keira's mum Sacha Abey says for the past month her daughter has had access to "life changing" cannabidiol medicine.

"The medicine significantly has improved my daughter's life, and it should be more readily available. My daughter has considerably fewer seizures, is more energetic, and considerably happier.

"She can reach [and push off] the bottom of the pool now, something she had never been able to do before. She is more engaged and now loves interacting with people, you can hear the joy in her voice," Abey said.

She says Keira was only given access to cannabidiol medicine as a last resort, and the cost is $460 every 12 days.

A Givealittle page set up last month has raised over $2000 to help cover the costs.

About Keira's condition:

• Keira is one of three people in the world with a rare genetic condition called FUT8.

• The disease means she is unable to produce the right amount of glucogen her body needs for development.

• She can't walk, talk or swallow properly and has had up to 30 seizures a day.

• There is no cure for FUT8 and the high morality rates mean sufferers normally don't make it to the age of 7.

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