Team brings joy to cancer fighter

By Sina Filifilia Seva’aetasi 07 February 2017, 12:00AM

Meet 16 year old Malotie Faapine: Soccer enthusiast, sports fanatic and now, soldier in the fight for his life against cancer.  

To mark World Cancer Day, the U17 National Soccer Team visited cancer patients during the weekend at the National hospital. 

The team entered the hospital with open minds and open hearts and sought after a cancer patient under 17 years old who they could possibly relate to.   

What happened next was purely coincidental. 

The team met up with 16 year old, Malotie Faapine from Nofoalii and Vaivase Tai who is a former National U-15 Football player.

He has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a  cancer that infects the bone. 

After a nasty fall late last November, his left knee began to swell and produced no signs of depressing.  Faapine was then hospitalized and was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.

This particular type of cancer is commonly found in males under the age of 25.  

Up until now, Faapine has been hospitalized, can barely walk and awaits approval from the New Zealand Ward to travel overseas for treatment for the cancer.   

Meeting Faapine who was once a star athlete and has his whole soccer career ahead of him was an eye opener for the young boys. 

Each of the U17ís team greeted him and  brought gifts such as food stock, football gear and even presented him with their National Jersey. 

The visit was even more touching for the Head Coach of the U17ís teams, Desmond Faaiuaso.

He remembered young Faapine for his outstanding performance on the soccer field.  He  always wondered where the young soccer player with some much potential went off to after he stopped showing up for practice.  

According to a source inside the Football Federation, Faaiuaso thought of the young lad when he was beginning to scout players for the U17ís team last year.  Finally finding Faapine  laying in the hospital gurney was quite surreal.  

However, as for Faapine himself, he was said to beam with excitement when  the boys came to visit him.  He is said to be handling the situation to the best of his abilities and is just anxiously awaiting to get the call to do the surgery.  

His family remains strong and prays that they will hear a response soon from the New Zealand Medical treatment facilities  so they can get their young healthy boy back.

 

By Sina Filifilia Seva’aetasi 07 February 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>