Ten-year-old Autiko Kamaiwaca has maintained a positive and resilient attitude despite undergoing seven years of medical treatment and hospital stays. His mother, Luisa Nauvaci, revealed that Autiko was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor, a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children, in 2017 when he was just three years old while the family lived in Kashmir, Lautoka.
Luisa recounted the moment they first noticed something was wrong. She said that after his father helped Autiko shower, she noticed a swelling on the right side of his body while drying him. Initially thinking it was a minor issue, she took him to the Kamikamica Health Centre, where a doctor referred them to Lautoka Hospital for further examination.
Once at the hospital, Autiko was admitted immediately, and both a scan and subsequent tests revealed the presence of cancer in one of his kidneys. Thankfully, the kidney had not burst, which could have been life-threatening. Autiko underwent numerous injections, blood tests, and two months of chemotherapy, during which he experienced hair and weight loss. Due to Luisa’s pregnancy, his grandfather and father took turns visiting him during treatment.
After a series of scans at Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWM), Autiko had an operation and now visits for regular check-ups with only one kidney remaining. His family faced significant challenges during this time; Luisa highlighted that her father sold produce at the Lautoka market to help support them when her husband was unemployed and attending to Autiko in the hospital.
Despite the past hardships, Autiko is now a Year Five student at Loma Primary School, exhibiting strength and vigor among his peers. Luisa expressed gratitude for the support they received from WOWS (Walk On Walk Strong Kids Fiji), which provided essential assistance throughout Autiko’s treatment journey.
Today, the family resides in Narata, along Valley Road in Sigatoka, where Autiko continues to thrive and show a determined spirit.