New Zealander Jess Kerr refuses to let facial paralysis and diabetes ruin her dreams

If you’re a fan of New Zealand women’s cricket, Amelia Kerr is one of the first names that springs to mind, and for good reason. From scoring a double century in ODIs at just 17 to captaining the White Ferns, replacing Sophie Devine, she has had a remarkable rise in the sport.

While Amelia’s cricketing stature has steadily grown over the years, her elder sister Jess Kerr has faced serious health issues that have affected both her physical and mental well-being.

Interestingly, cricket was not Jessa’s first sporting passion and she was more inclined towards running. At 16, she was diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome and Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome, conditions that brought her promising running career to an abrupt end and forced her to give up on her lifelong dream.

“RUNNING WAS MY GREATEST PASSION”

In a recent interview with her sister, Jess spoke candidly about having to put her greatest passion aside and adapt to a completely different path.

“Going from being able to run for 90 minutes to feeling pain after just five or 10 minutes was a huge shift in my day-to-day life. Running was my biggest passion and I wanted to push it as far as I could, so losing that ability was incredibly difficult,” said Jess.

“After tests for compartment syndrome, I underwent surgery but was unsuccessful. I was later diagnosed with popliteal artery entrapment syndrome and underwent further treatment, including botox injections in my calves.

“Even today, I try to run longer than 20 minutes. I had to make a huge adjustment to when I could run every day with ease. Looking back, it’s something I probably took for granted, but the experience taught me how to adapt, persevere and find new ways to pursue my goals,” Jess said.

‘IT’S LIKE A JOKE’

At the age of nine, Jess Kerr was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes facial paralysis. Although doctors initially expected him to recover within six to 12 months, nearly two decades later he lives with its effects, including synkinesis, a condition in which facial nerves regenerate incorrectly and trigger unwanted muscle movements.

“I was out with a friend on my way to the school’s Tawa Goes to Town music festival when I noticed my face was starting to tingle and droop. I also couldn’t pronounce my B’s and P’s correctly which was quite ironic considering the condition is called Bell’s Palsy,” said Jess.

“It was almost a joke at first because I didn’t understand how serious it was. The doctors told me it would probably go away within six to 12 months, so I always believed it was temporary. That mindset probably influenced how I dealt with it in the early stages, I kept thinking it would eventually go away and life would go back to normal,” added Jess.

‘I WILL BURST IN TEARS’

If that wasn’t enough, Jess was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She recalled being diagnosed after months of unexplained weight loss, fatigue and illness. What started as exhaustion turned into a life-changing diagnosis, leaving her in tears as she struggled to cope with a lifelong condition.

“At 13, I was doing a lot of running while balancing school and living a pretty normal life. But as the year went on I started to lose a lot of weight and felt tired and sick all the time. I remember even telling my mum my ear hurt so I could take a day off because I was so exhausted,” Jess said.

“We went to the local health center, and while there was nothing wrong with my ear, the doctors decided to do some more tests. That’s when they said, ‘You’re a type 1 diabetic. Cancel your plans for the week, you’re going to the hospital.’

“I remember bursting into tears. One of my friends at school had type 1 diabetes, so I knew about the condition, but there was still so much I didn’t know and didn’t understand. The reality that it was a lifelong condition, something I would have to deal with every day for the rest of my life, was hard to process,” added Jess.

JESS KERR WORLD CUP KIT

Jess Kerr (right) won the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Courtesy: Reuters

Despite many health issues throughout her life, Jess Kerr is now set to represent New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Her journey is all the more remarkable for choosing a career as a fast bowler despite the running issues that once threatened her sporting ambitions. So far, she has played 54 ODIs and 52 T20Is and has taken 107 international wickets, including two four-wicket hauls.

The White Ferns open their Women’s World T20 campaign against the West Indies at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday 13 June. Jess has shown encouraging form in the warm-ups, picking up key wickets against South Africa and underlining her importance to the side ahead of the tournament.

A member of New Zealand’s 2024 title-winning squad, Jess is expected to play a key role again as the White Ferns aim for another strong campaign.

While her younger sister Amelia Kerr has often grabbed the headlines, Jess has created her own inspirational story that characterizes resilience, determination and an unwavering determination to follow her dreams despite significant physical and mental challenges.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

13 Jun 2026 16:10 IST