In a life-saving operation, volunteer surgeons at New Zealand’s Wellington Hospital East have removed a tumour from a Timorese baby that weighed a third of his body weight.
The 8lb tumour was removed by in the capital at the weekend.
The large mass would have eventually killed the 14-month-old boy had the surgical team not stepped in, said Bill Day, chairman of the Wellington Hospital and Health Foundation and local Rotary Club president – which organised the trip to New Zealand.
Little Alex Gonzaga and his mother Elisa Da Conceicao flew to Wellington from Dili about two weeks ago for the operation involving a 10-strong surgical team.
Everything went according to plan and the benign tumour was removed from around his crucial organs in record time – about two hours – on Sunday.
“It has just been stunning, everyone pitching in to save his life,” Mr Day said.
Alex, who weighed about 24lbs before the surgery, is expected to make a full recovery and will be ready to go home in a few days.
Alex’s tumour was spotted by a doctor in East Timor, a country in Southeast Asia. He was examined further on a visiting medical ship and referred to the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children program (Romac).
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