Zia survived an acute subdural haemorrhage and what makes her lifesaving story even more special is that she was 28 weeks pregnant when struck by the illness. She was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where it was found she had an acute subdural haemorrhage - a blood clot on the surface of the brain. Neurosurgeons operated immediately and at the same time due to the seriousness of her condition, a caesarean section was performed to save her baby. Zia had to under go a further two neurosurgical operation and was in a coma for a week after her operation and it wasn't until four weeks later that she was able to fully comprehend what had happened to her and that she had a son, Dylan.

As a result of her delicate neurosurgery Zia can continue to live as she did prior to her trauma; and Dylan is a healthy, thriving boy and went onto have another child Taylah.

Zia says that in many ways her life will never be the same- she no longer takes anything for granted and feels her life now has much more value.

Ongoing research into brain trauma is essential if people like Zia are to recover from such life threatening conditions where anything other than full recovery can dramatically change quality of life.

Zia is helping recruit schools and companies to have fun this April and to host a "Favourites" Morning Tea or "Favourites" Casual Day and asking them to take a Gold Coin Collection to raise money for neurosurgical life-saving research.

This luck family only exists today because Zia's life was saved through neurosurgery and Dylan and Taylah are asking everyone to take part, raise money and help save more lives of the future.

Neurosurgery saves lives every day.
Tomorrow it could be yours.
Medical Research saves lives in the future.

Neurosurgical Research Foundation.
PO Box 698 North Adelaide SA 5006
Ph: (08) 8371 0771, Fax: 8261 0945
e-mail: nrfginta@bigpond.com website: www.nrf.com.au