One year on, Tavita home for Christmas

When Tavita Esekia’s mum noticed a growing lump on his stomach in November last year, the baby boy was raced from Mareeba to Cairns and then flown to Townsville in just three days.

Tennille Palmer and her son Tavita Esekia, 18 months, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at 5 months and is hoping to spend Christmas at home with his family . PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

WHEN Tavita Esekia’s mum noticed a growing lump on his stomach in November last year, the baby boy was raced from Mareeba to Cairns and then flown to Townsville in just three days.

Doctors began draining the large cyst-like mass while waiting for test results and advice from specialists in Brisbane.

Tavita’s mum Tennille Palmer said it was scary watching her bright and bubbly five- month-old deteriorate so quickly.

“We noticed he started acted differently and one of his eyes was droopy, he was lethargic and not eating and he’s the happiest baby but it was hard to get him to smile,” she said. Ms Palmer said liver surgeons in Brisbane told the family to travel south and prepare for anything.

Leaving their other three children with family in Mareeba, Ms Palmer and her partner Herman Esekia travelled to Brisbane still unclear of the cause of Tavita’s illness.

Upon arrival, Tavita was placed in ICU until he stabilised. Long-awaited pathology results returned showing he had mesenchymal hamartoma – a rare and benign liver tumour.

“We went straight into ICU in Brisbane, once we moved there things started to move quicker and pathology results finally came back showing he had a tumour weighing 865 grams,” she said. “I was just an emotional wreck basically, I don’t think I cried that much in my whole life than what I did in those three months.”

Tavita had surgery on Christmas Eve, spending his first Christmas in hospital.

Ms Palmer said this year they would make up for it, celebrating Tavita’s first official Christmas as a family.

Originally published as One year on, Tavita home for Christmas