Last week members of the Pacific working group of the New Zealand National Child Cancer Network (N.C.C.N.) were in Apia working with the Paediatric staff at T.T.M. Hospital and the staff of the Samoa Cancer Society.
Visits by the team to Samoa first began in 2006 and now two children have completed their chemotherapy and three children have been receiving chemotherapy at the hospital.
During their visit in October 2013, one of the patients assessed was Keleti Leuta from Vaovai, Falealili with a Wilms Tumour, a treatable and curable childhood cancer of the kidney.
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Keleti was transferred to Starship Children’s Hospital and had the kidney with the tumour removed and commenced on chemotherapy.
He returned to Samoa in January 2014 to complete his monthly intravenous chemotherapy.
When reviewed last week by Starship Blood and Cancer Centre Paediatric Oncologist Dr Jane Skeen, Paediatric Haematologist/ Oncologist Dr Peter Bradbeer, Paediatric Oncology Clinical Nurse Educator Bridget Smith and Janet Masina Family Support Coordinator, Child Cancer Foundation, New Zealand, Keleti was well and had coped with his recent chemotherapy.
Pictured today, immediately after Keleti received his last course of chemotherapy, Keleti’s grandmother Alofa is thankful that Keleti has now successfully completed his chemotherapy.
Also reviewed was Perise Farani from Alafua also with a Wilms Tumour who completed her chemotherapy in Samoa in 2012.
Both families have received support from the Samoa Cancer Society.
The Pacific working group of the N.C.C.N. working collaboratively with the Paediatric team in Samoa aims to improve the outcomes of children with cancer in Samoa.
Not all children with cancer have to die untreated.
Early detection, diagnosis and referral when indicated is being promoted by the Samoa Cancer Society, with the “Early warning signs of Childhood Cancer “ launched at the Samoa Cancer Society June 2013.
On a population basis 11 children with cancer should be diagnosed in Samoa each year.
The Pacific working group of the N.C.C.N. is also working with Fiji and Tonga.
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