RONALD Vikash Chand and Pingla Sharma discovered a growth on their daughter's upper gum in April this year when she was only three months old.
The growth persisted so they took baby Nishita Rishika Chand to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital for tests.
On August 3, as the couple waited at the hospital for the results, tragedy struck at home at Maro in Sigatoka. Their eight-year-old son died instantly when a car hit him on his way home from school.
While the family was still trying to come to terms with their loss, they were informed that Nishita required overseas treatment to remove the growing tumour.
The family was fraught with anxiety as they did not have the money. They were fortunate that Tappoos, Mr Chand's employer, stepped in and helped with the travel arrangements.
This week, the family was proud to announce that for once, their fortunes has changed. Baby Nishita has just come out of successful surgery at India's Batra Hospital.
Talking about their misfortunes from a few months ago, Mr Chand said he was shocked by his son's accident.
"None of us had the courage to tell my wife the truth about what had happened. She suspected something was wrong and asked but we ignored her queries," he said.
His wife only learned of the accident when they returned to Maro. Family members had erected a shed and were awaiting their return.
"We broke down and cried. Everything seemed to be happening at the same time and it became too much for us. First our daughter's illness then the news of our son's death," said the father of three.
"A lot of specialists came to see our daughter and there were many sleepless nights because of our worries," he said.
On September 22, a team of doctors at the Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre finally operated on Nishita and successfully removed the tumour from her mouth.
The growth was so big it blocked the baby's mouth, upper jaw and nostrils.
A biopsy by local doctor's revealed Nishita was suffering from a primitive neuro-ectodermal tumour (PNET) which usually occurrs in children under the age of 10 and has a survival rate of less than 40 per cent.
Nishita has been almost restored to full health and is scheduled to receive chemotherapy soon.
"I am told it might be another eight months before they come back home and although it feels empty at home with just my five-year-old son and I, I know the wait will be worth it because my daughter is now better," said Mr Chand.
