Upstairs

22 July – 3 August

'I am SAM and friends' - Samual Lea

An impression of life around us.

Sam has Apert Syndrome. It's premature fusion of the skull, hands and feet. This caused delayed learning and seizures. Due to the physical disabilities and surgeries to release bones, this lead Sam to have low vision and hearing. He wears specialized glasses and a hearing aid around his head, that uses bone to conduct sound.

Samual lives his life, like every day is his last. He gives everything a 150% - adapts so he can do it, like holding his art brushes slightly different because he has no middle knuckle. His fingers where all fused together, even though his fingers are now separated, he still uses them as one finger.

Due to his bone fusion, he has a very narrow airway, which impacts his breathing. Samual had a tracheostomy tube in for 4 1/2yrs. which has damaged his vocal cord and impacted his speech.

His friends are students from Havelock North High School with other various disabilities. Sam is always happy and always sees the best in everyone and everything he does. Thank you for coming to the show. We are very excited to share with you how we see the world.