AT just twelve, Camila Sofía Gelviz has had to fight for her life against two brain tumours.
She is a Colombian-Venezuelan girl who today, after two surgeries, several medical treatments and travelling through three countries, is in Trinidad and Tobago trying to make her dream to become a lawyer come true.
Camila was a normal girl, happy with her grandmother Gloria García, with whom she has lived since she was born (her mother lives in Spain and her father in Panama).
In 2018, while travelling from Venezuela to Peru with García to meet other relatives, she suffered dizziness and a seizure. Once in Peru, they went to a doctor, as the seizures persisted. There, the then six-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which completely changed her life and forced her family to make decisions for her health.
“We decided to seek medical help in Colombia. Our family has dual nationality (Colombian-Venezuelan) and there are very good specialists in that country.
"One of those doctors is Carlos Mario Echeverría, who is a paediatric neurologist. He has been an angel. He helped us at all times to find the tools to deal with Camila's illness,” García said.
Echeverría was in charge of the surgery to remove Camila's tumour in 2019.
[caption id="attachment_1128196" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Camila with her grandmother Gloria García, left, and her aunt July Gelviz. -[/caption]
“For the glory of God, the operation was a total success. We began the recovery process with treatment and a lot of care.”
That good news and Camila's good health allowed her family to make another important decision: to come to TT.
On April 25, 2022, García and Camila arrived in TT to meet García's daughter July Gelviz.
“Since she (Camila) was born, I have always taken care of her despite the distance. She is like my daughter and I work hard for her every day,” her aunt said.
July Gelviz is married to a TT citizen and has lived here for eight years.
However, the nightmare returned in mid-2023, as Camila had a seizure while she was studying at a private school in Chaguanas.
“With the help of many people, we held raffles, bike shows, sold food, and with a lot of work, medical studies were carried out, proving that the tumour had grown again,” said her aunt.
They contacted Echeverría and went to Colombia a few weeks later, where she had surgery again to remove the second tumour.
“This second surgery was even more complex and the tumour could not be completely removed, but against all odds Camila has gotten up and is with us. She returned to TT, she is a happy girl trying to live a peaceful life.”
[caption id="attachment_1128197" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Camila does her daily household chores such as folding her clothes, cleaning and even learning to cook like any other girl her age would. -[/caption]
Since she returned from the second surgery, Camila has had medical check-ups at ABC paediatrics and Mt Hope Paediatric Hospital.
Her grandmother said, “She really is a girl who has broken all medical predictions
