Living beyond fear is not for the faint hearted and navigating the challenges of a rare medical diagnosis with confidence is as unique as one’s genome.
In the wake of her medical diagnosis, Moira Vilsoni lives another day to create awareness and talk of her healing journey from the rare and life threatening Necrotising fasciitis – a flesh eating bacteria that involves urgent multiple surgeries to remove the bacteria, intensive care, rehabilitation and healing.
Since her diagnosis, the 42-year-old mum has had extensive debridement and various medical procedures within a month, multiple sessions at the hyperbaric chamber (a pressurized chamber that is used to treat divers with decompression sickness), physiotherapy and a grateful heart – her healing journey is laced with love, faith, messy prayers, honest raw conversations, humor and good energy.
The public relations and corporate communications strategist was admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) from July and August and a week in September 2025 after a routine check up at the diabetic hub in Suva.
For Moira, today marks a milestone that seemed impossible – 200 days since her Necrotising fasciitis diagnosis and foot surgery.
Moving forward, she has set her eyes on completing her Masters in Business Administration (Executive) at the Fiji National University, be an advocate for survivors of Necrotising fasciitis and their families and to support her daughters in their various campaigns.
“It happened so fast! Within 24 hours, I had my first operation on my left foot, morphine and a handful of antibiotics to help me recover from an urgent surgery that would be the first of five surgeries and multiple days in hospital,” said the mother of three.
“It hasn’t been an easy journey but it is what it is and I hope that creating awareness will help people understand what Necrotising fasciitis is and to inspire and encourage anyone going through a medical storm.
“I chose to be kind to myself, allowing my body to accept my medical diagnosis and to heal from within. I have prayed messy prayers and have met God too many times in my healing path to be living in fear.
“My medical diagnosis and scars do not affect my capacity as a public relations specialist and it’s not something to be ashamed of! They are a map of the pain my body has endured and a reminder of my survival!
“My recovery has been 100 per cent God and 100 per cent AnneMary, Faith and Eunice – my daughters!’
And despite her mobility limitations, Moira donated her wheelchair in December after regaining her confidence to walk unaided and independently, “because I know how hard it is to be wheelchair-dependent and how expensive it is and not everyone has access to a wheelchair. It was a gift from my daughters to a young family!”
The diagnosis – Necrotising fasciitis!
Necrotising fasciitis is a rare and life threatening flesh eating bacterial infection that attacks and destroys muscles, skin and underlying tissues and it enters the body through minor cuts.
“I had a swollen foot accompanied by high fever that I thought was just a normal foot sore for which I could take a couple of pain killers. I tried to water it down when my mom (a retired medical professional in the United Arab Emirates) asked but I knew it was bigger than a foot sore because by then, I was bedridden and depended on my daughters.
“We went to CWMH and within 24 hours, I was listening to the vascular team discuss my medical condition with unfamiliar jargons and they allowed me to ask as many questions as I could as I tried to understand what was happening and the new me after the first operation.
“The surgeons explained my condition in the simplest way and what they were going to do with my foot and I remember asking about saving my foot even though the chances of having my leg amputated below the knee was high and because I was also diabetic, they worked against time to determine how far the bacteria had gone up my leg.
“They removed my 4th and 5th toes because the bacteria had made its way to the bones and had chewed them rotten and I was still not out of the woods and every hope of saving my foot was met with a little hiccup.
“I sat my eldest daughter, AnneMary down and gave her an A – Z list of things to do if I didn’t make it out of hospital alive. It wasn’t an easy comfortable conversation but it had to happen,” she said.
Recovery journey post-surgery!
Moira’s recovery journey is tethered in embracing vulnerability, simple meal planning, regular light physical activity, taking prescribed medication and finding joy every new day.
“It hasn’t been an easy one and I have used my social media platform to capture my healing journey, creating enough awareness on Necrotising fasciitis while I study it, hoping one day, I’d be able to establish a resource support center for survivors of this rare flesh eating bacterial infection and their families.
“I was well looked after by the CWMH vascular team, Beqa and physio ward nurses, diabetic hub team, physiotherapy unit and the hyperbaric team for their exceptional care and going out of their way to create a safe space for me to heal physically, emotionally and mentally!
“I also acknowledge my extended family and friends for their enduring love and support throughout, particularly my daughters who have weathered this medical storm – they’ve all given me enough strength to find beauty in my healing,” Moira said.
Moira’s daughter, an internationally recognised young leader in the climate change movement, AnneMary stepped up as caregiver while championing her campaign on the global climate change crisis space and being a youth parliamentarian in the recent 2025 Fiji Youth Parliament.
“She (AnneMary) has seen me at my worst and celebrated every milestone in my healing while persistent in her passion on the global climate change crisis movement, women in politics and youth participation in parliament spaces and I am eternally grateful for her love.
“I have been cleared by the head of the CWMH vascular team for full resumption of work and I look forward to getting back on the grind and contribute in any way I can,” the Manager Visitor Experience at the Fiji Museum said.
We live in a society that focuses on a very narrow idea of what is deemed as an aesthetic perfection.
Moira’s story tells us that “there is no such thing as perfection. There is also no shame in talking about anyone’s rare medical diagnosis.”
Moira Vilsoni in her orthopaedic footwear at home in Duilomaloma Road, Nausori. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU
Moira Vilsoni with her daughters Eunice Raduva, 7, left, and AnneMary Raduva, 22, at their home in Nausori. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU
Moira Vilsoni during an interview with The Sunday Times at her home in Nausori on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU
All prepped for surgery.
Picture: SUPPLIED
Daughter Faith keeping Moira’s spirits high at Beqa Ward, CWMH. Picture: SUPPLIED
