WEDDINGS are normally jovial, laughter-filled affairs, but last month, following the nuptials of her son, there was no one with a bigger smile on her face than Elstead's Vivvy Butler. Diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma six-and-a- half years ago, a benign tumour on her brain was immediately removed, leaving 59-year-old Vivvy with a complete facial palsy. But after receiving pioneering surgery at East Grinsted's Queen Victoria Hospital in June, Vivvy can beam once again, and reflected on her "life- changing" and inspiring story. Previously an aromatherapist, Vivvy put a spate of headaches down to the rigours of massage. But an MRI scan revealed a more serious cause. "I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, which is basically a benign tumour in the brain on the acoustic nerve. I had an operation to immediately remove it, because it was very big. The operation left me with a complete facial palsy - basically a complete paralysis of the right side of my face," she said. Facial palsy has several effects as well as the devastating effect on one's appearance, paralysis of the facial muscles can also cause dribbling, speech difficulties and even threaten eyesight. "You feel very apologetic for how your face looks," Vivvy explained. "You try and hide half of your face with either a hand or hair. If I saw a child I tried to look away. I felt ugly and different," she said. "But I wasn't unhappy as a person. I had wonderful family and friends who supported me and happily I got on with my life. I learned to paint." After initially fearing further surgery, Vivvy became inspired earlier the year after a special announcement. "Toby, my son, told me he that was getting married in February, and I had always vowed that I wouldn't go to either of my children's weddings unless my face was better." So, Vivvy began a hunt for a surgeon which would end in her finding "miracle man" Charles Nduka, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. "I found Dr Nduka through my physiotherapist Diana Farragher, a worldwide specialist in facial palsy based in Manchester. "She was working with this doctor who he had just started doing this operation in June, after learning from a surgeon in France. Along with another surgeon in America, he is one of only three people to do it in the world." "When I met Dr Nduka, I found he was absolutely amazing. He's a lovely man, who is very professional and friendly with a beautiful big smile, and I decided to go ahead with the operation." Famous for reconstructing the faces of pilots during the Second World War, Vivvy travelled to Queen Victoria Hospital for her operation. Involving the re-routing of tendons and muscles within the face, accompanied by a programme of physiotherapy, the new technique is simpler, more effective and less traumatic than traditional methods. "I feel really happy. I can now smile at children hold my head up high. It's fantastic," said Vivvy, paying testament to process.
