Operation gets young ice-skater back on track

New Zealand representative ice-skater Morgan Figgins is looking forward to getting back into her training after her parents paid for her to have her tonsils removed.

The Waitati teenager and her mother Seraya went public about her situation when they were shocked to discover it was unlikely she would qualify for a publicly-funded operation at Dunedin Hospital, despite specialists telling her she would benefit from a tonsillectomy.

Mrs Figgins said following the publicity, several people told her they had found themselves in a similar position and medical staff had thanked her for raising awareness about people missing out on health care.

Recurring tonsillitis had affected Morgan's training and she decided to pull out of international competitions as her performances had been below par.

Money saved to enable Morgan (16) to compete on the world stage was used to pay for the $3000 operation, done privately at Mercy Hospital last Friday.

Mrs Figgins said Morgan was already back coaching at the ice-rink and would resume her training after Christmas.

She has no plans to return to international competition but will be competing in New Zealand competitions next year.

The family now had health insurance "just in case our public system fails us again", Mrs Figgins said.

Concerns about children waiting for operations, such as grommet procedures and tonsil and adenoid removal, have prompted two Dunedin ear, nose and throat surgeons to give 36 children free operations at Mercy Hospital.