The WOWS Kids Fiji Resource Centre on Rewa Street was illuminated in gold on the final day of September as Fiji joined the global “Turn the World Gold” campaign to mark International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and raise awareness on childhood cancer.
Fiji is among the first countries in the Pacific to turn gold for the global campaign, which aims to raise awareness of childhood cancer and highlight the challenges faced by children living with the disease and their families.
For families affected by childhood cancer, the journey can be long and challenging.
One father, Lasarusa Ligalevu of Pacific Harbour, shared his family’s experience after his youngest daughter, Juliet Kakala Ligalevu, was diagnosed with leukaemia or blood cancer at just nine months old in June last year.
Ligalevu says Juliet initially had what appeared to be common symptoms, including a fever, runny nose and cough, before she became weak and developed bruises and red spots across her body.
He says the family initially thought the symptoms could have been measles or a fever.
He says after noticing changes in his daughter’s condition, he took her to Navua Hospital, where doctors recommended that she be transferred to CWM Hospital in Suva, where doctors carried out blood tests and a bone marrow examination, and two days later, the family was told that Juliet had leukaemia.
Ligalevu says it was a difficult moment for the family, as they had little understanding of the disease or what they needed to do next.
He says WOWS Kids Fiji was there from the beginning, providing counselling, encouragement and practical support.
INSERT: Ligalevu on challenges 30th Sept
Ligalevu says caring for a child with cancer is also emotionally challenging, particularly when dealing with mood changes and the fear that the disease could return.
He says the family travelled to India for treatment and his daughter is getting better every day, adding that she continues to undergo medical reviews.
Ligalevu is urging parents to seek medical attention if they notice changes in their children, saying early detection can make a difference.
He is also encouraging other parents going through a similar experience to remain strong and have faith.
WOWS Kids Fiji board member Kimberly Smart says the Resource Centre was established as a safe space for children with cancer and their families.
Smart says the organisation has come a long way since it was established in 2009, but significant gaps remain in the services available to children with cancer in Fiji and the wider Pacific.
She says families from Fiji’s outer islands often have to travel long distances for treatment, while those from neighbouring Pacific countries face additional challenges.
Smart highlighted the case of a young patient from Vanuatu who is currently receiving treatment in Fiji.
She says the child and his young mother have to remain in Fiji for months because returning home between treatments is not always practical or reliable.
She says WOWS Kids Fiji assists families with transport costs, including taxi and boat fares, to help ensure children can travel to hospital and continue their treatment.
Smart says the organisation also provides counselling and other assistance to children and families dealing with the emotional and practical challenges associated with cancer.
She says the organisation’s long-term vision is to establish a purpose-built resource centre with accommodation facilities, which could provide families with a safe environment away from the hospital, along with educational support, counselling, recreational activities, clothing and other essential items.
She is also calling for greater investment in early detection and awareness, saying communities need more information about the early signs of childhood cancer.
Smart says WOWS Kids Fiji generally supports around 70 children with cancer each year, while the organisation continues to lose children to the disease.
She says improving early detection and access to treatment and medicines, as well as strengthening facilities and support services, are essential to improving outcomes for children in Fiji and the wider Pacific.
The “Turn the World Gold” event also provided an opportunity for WOWS Kids Fiji to acknowledge and thank its long-standing partners, donors and supporters for their continued assistance to children and families affected by cancer.
