Also discharged were three-month-old Marina Warren and 11-month-old Jessie Nielsen, both from the Solomon Islands.
For Lewenisiga, her daughter’s discharge marks the end of an emotional period that began, when the family discovered that Seruvatu had a heart problem during an outreach programme at Sigatoka Methodist Primary School in March.
The diagnosis came as a shock because Seruvatu had been an active child who enjoyed playing rugby and netball.
Lewenisiga says her daughter’s health gradually declined in the months that followed, and after two medical reviews, the family was told that her condition was getting worse and she needed surgery.
The family travelled from Sigatoka to Suva early Saturday morning for the operation, with Lewenisiga spending much of the journey praying and asking God to give her daughter another chance at life.
Insert:Lewenisiga on her daughter
She says the night before the operation was particularly difficult, and she could not sleep as she waited for her daughter to go into theatre the following morning.
Seruvatu was also afraid, holding onto her mother’s hands before undergoing the operation.
Lewenisiga says watching her daughter go through the experience was not easy, but she remained hopeful and placed her trust in God and the medical team.
She is thankful to the doctors, nurses and staff at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital, as well as the visiting medical team from Singapore, for caring for her daughter.
Lewenisiga says Seruvatu has now been given another chance at life.
She is encouraging other parents to make use of outreach programmes when they are available in their communities and to seek medical assistance if their children need treatment.
