Lautoka WOWS Kids get family day at the Waterfront
Walk On Walk Strong (WOWS) Kids Fiji is looking into expanding their awareness programmes into the rural areas by next year.
These were the words of WOWS Kids Fiji team leader, Mere Williams, during the family day get-together for the western champs at the Tanoa Waterfront Hotel in Lautoka yesterday.
Ms Williams said it was an event that WOWS usually did once every quarter of the year, but because of the pandemic, this was the first one this year.
“The objective is just to get our children together, some survivors as well; it is all about reconnecting them together with their families,”
Ms Williams said.
She said the expected number was about 30 children, but because of yesterday’s adverse weather conditions, only four children from Lautoka were able to be part of the fun day.
Ms Williams added, WOWS Kids was looking after 72 children around the country and that number was expected to increase.
“Currently the oldest patient is a 15-year-old based in Suva, while the youngest is a three-month-old baby boy in Lautoka,” she added.
“One of the areas that we continue to look into and to expand into further in 2021 is in terms of awareness and going into the remote rural areas. We want to work with the Ministry of Health, to join in their outreach programmes.
“A lot of people out there have a lack of understanding of what childhood cancer is.”
She said a major challenge experienced was the late presentation of cases.
More than 10 children died from cancer at Lautoka Hospital since September 2019: Nurse
Laisa Raisamu, a nurse based in the Children’s Ward at the Lautoka Hospital for the past six years was also at the WOWS Kids event yesterday.
She said more than 10 children, who suffered from cancer, died at the Lautoka Hospital between September 2019 and today.
“Last year from September till the month of January this year, we had a lot of cases that came in, unfortunately we had more than five children who passed away,” she said. “This year alone, from the beginning of this year until October, we have had more than five deaths. There was one death last week, the most recent case.
“Sometimes it is really tough for us because we create that bond with them and it is also an unfortunate situation for us when we learn that the cancer has returned.”
She said currently, there were two children on treatment while more than 10 children were on remission, meaning they had completed their treatment and were doing well.
“We look after Sigatoka right down to Rakiraki and we take it right up to Nadarivatu,” said Ms Raisamu. She is advising all parents to take heed of the signs and symptoms of cancer.