TV Documentary Highlights Significant Congenital Disease Breakthrough

A compelling documentary focusing on a significant world first medical breakthrough, by the Chair of Child Health Research at Otago University, and the impact it has had on the lives of one New Zealand family, screened on TVNZ on February 28.

‘Lifting of the Makutu’ featured the work of Professor Stephen Robertson, who made international headlines in 2003, with a landmark finding into congenital birth abnormalities.

Professor Robertson, a leading paediatric geneticist, discovered the gene which causes complex birth defects, including combinations of malformations of the skeleton, holes in the heart and defects in the brain, kidneys and intestines.

Instrumental to the success of his work was the help provided by the Miru family in Auckland, who have lost seven baby boys, all born with the same deformities caused by a deadly mutation in the gene.

It was this poignant story which caught the imagination of Watershed Films director Peta Carey of Queenstown.

“I had read the story and my immediate reaction was why hasn’t someone made a film about this. Once I talked to Stephen (Robertson) and to the Miru family I was completely motivated to make it happen.”

‘Lifting of the Makutu’ was commissioned by TVNZ and funded by NZ On Air.

“It was an incredibly touching, emotional journey. Stephen tells his story about his work with genetics simply and passionately. The Miru family was a gift, a very close family and the whole crew loved working with them on the film.”

Professor Robertson took seven years to make his discovery, carrying out his initial research at Oxford University, where he was a Nuffield Fellow at the Institute of Molecular Medicine.

Fifty other families from 15 different countries, who have the same syndrome have been identified. Professor Robertson’s discovery was considered so significant the results were published in the prestigious international journal ‘Nature Genetics’.

The ‘Lifting of the Makutu’ was another opportunity to demystify genetics and genetic disease.

“We have been able to tell the story and relate it to a very special New Zealand family. It puts a human face to our research and I hope that it has gone some way to helping people understand the complexities of genetic problems.”

Cure Kids CEO Kaye Parker believes ‘Lifting of the Makutu’ has had a strong impact.

“The documentary highlighted the invaluable work which is being carried out in laboratories around the country by researchers like Stephen,” says CEO Kaye Parker. “The drive by Cure Kids to raise substantial funds for research into children’s illnesses is made even more important when one sees the breakthrough results that are being made.”