Alumeci Koroitamana is the mother of 12-year-old James Taito who was diagnosed with burkitt lymphoma, one of the rarest forms of cancer, at the age of four
Today, James is attending school, playing rugby and running around with his friends.
His mother believes that with God’s grace, the help of doctors and WOWS Kids Fiji, they were able to get through one of the darkest times of their lives.
“With the huge support my baby got from the family and from peoples’ prayers, my baby survived one of the rarest forms of cancers,” says Ms Koroitamana.
The news that James was afflicted with the potentially fatal cancer at age four shook the Koroitamana family to the core.
“It took the doctors two months to find out what caused James to fall sick,” Ms Koroitamana said.
“They were able to detect that it was burkitt lymphoma when a doctor from overseas visited him in hospital.
“James was admitted at the CWM Hospital and he was there for two months, in and out, trying to figure out what was wrong until he was finally admitted for surgery and chemo.”
Ms Koroitamana said there was a huge swelling in his large intestine which they managed to take out through surgery.
“But by then, the cancer was spreading to the rest of his intestine and that’s when we decided it was time for him to go through chemo.
“It was really hard for us, but we knew God was with us.”
Ms Koroitamana said as the days went by, there were moments when their faith was tested, and would start to doubt the help of doctors.
“The hospital visits, the price of medicine, even people’s negative talk.
“It was all weighing down on us.
“I’m thankful to the doctors for having properly cared for my son, but if it wasn’t for all the support, I wouldn’t have known what to do.
“Now, he’s a healthy 12-year-old boy, who attends Navuakece District School, and he’s playing rugby and running around with his friends.
“We are also grateful for WOWS Kids Fiji because they really helped us at a time when we needed it.”
Ms Koroitamana said WOWS Kids Fiji provided them recharge cards, food vouchers when James was admitted, cab fare from where they lived at Lomaivuna in Naitasiri, and money for his medicine as well.
“We are so grateful to them, and the doctors, because if it wasn’t for them, my baby wouldn’t have survived.”
