Dream day for cancer battler

Businesses chip in to give 12-year-old an experience of a lifetime after year of treatment

‘Mum, I don’t want to die without you guys.” Those were the words Patinna uttered to her mother Polini Peleti just before she was supposed to go to a school camp in March 2019.

Hours later, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and began a yearlong battle.

She is now recovering well, and several businesspeople have chipped in to arrange a dream day of events for the brave 12-year-old.

Patinna woke up that fateful camp morning unable to see out of her left eye and feeling a “weird” sensation in her brain. She couldn’t walk in a straight line.

There had been earlier signs she wasn’t well, including continuous headaches, but Polini said doctors said it was normal and recommended paracetamol.

But that day, after an MRI scan at Tauranga Hospital, Patinna was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour. The tumour was the size of a “small apple”, Polini said.

“Tinna was ready to go to the camp on that day. She said ‘Mum I don’t want to die without you guys, I don’t want to go to the camp’. I got tears in my eyes.”

“I was so lucky, if I sent her on that day to the camp, she’s gone.”

“I felt weird, I don’t know how to explain it,” Patinna said.

The family flew to Starship hospital in Auckland where Patinna went into an eight-hour surgery to remove the tumour.

In all, Patinna would endure four surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy for more than a year.

“She is so brave,” said Peleti. Right before going into each surgery, Patinna asked the medical staff to pause while she said a prayer.

She also wrote a note to God asking that none of her family had to experience what she was going through.

Patinna said she was really nervous before having the tumour removed, but only felt “a little sore” after the surgery. But radiation and chemotherapy took a toll on her. She was in lots of pain and unable to eat.

“It was really hard. We tried to gain her weight, but she didn’t want to eat,” Polini said. All her girl wanted was Mcdonald’s, Polini said with a laugh.

Commuting to Auckland each week proved difficult for Polini and her husband, who were also trying to support their six other children.

Support from their extended family and church community helped them through the tough time.

“Just my husband was working in that time. My church, they pray for my family, and they gave us some funding,” said Polini. “It was really hard for me and my husband . . . thank God we get life for Patinna.”

“Mum was having a hard time because my brother was only small. He was only like 1,” Patinna said.

She is back at school for full days. Before she was just doing a half-day.

Financial services company One50 group has organised a “dream day” for Patinna, set for Saturday.

Riding in a helicopter and a Ferrari, meeting some All Blacks Sevens players and taking a Tauranga Harbour boat cruise are just some of the activities planned.

Patinna said she was particularly excited to take a helicopter ride.

One50 group financial adviser James Lowes, who is helping to organise the day, said local businesses and individuals had all pitched to help organise the day.

Businesspeople pitching in include Dale Radford of Heartland Homes, who is taking Patinna on the launch cruise; Tauranga pilot Lawrence Robinson , who will fly the chopper; and Gary Chettleburgh is taking her for a spin in a Ferrari.