In a huge boost for everybody involved at the Sharks, as well as the rugby league community that has supported him through an incredibly difficult 10 months, Fine Kula has been given some remarkable news in his fight against brain cancer.
Diagnosed with Medulloblastoma early in 2020, an aggressive cancer rarely found in adults, the 21-year-old Kula, who was a part of the Sharks pre-season NRL training squad, has endured a year of hospital visits, chemotherapy treatments and doctor’s appointments in a bid to beat the terrible disease.
Then just last week, at the end of an intense bout of chemo, Kula underwent a full body scan, both head and spine, one which took six hours to complete and was conducted over two days.
A blood test followed on Friday, before they then headed into see their cancer specialists just yesterday, who would deliver news not even Fine and the Kula family, who despite remaining positive throughout, could have expected.
As Solomon Kula, Fine’s father explained, they braced themselves to be ready for whatever news the Doctors might have revealed.
“Before we went in we said, ‘whatever the Doctor says, we can still move on, still carry on’,” Solomon explained.
“Then the Doctor says he is clear, there is nothing to talk about. No tumor, no cancer, bone marrow clean, organs clean. Blood count it’s clear. We just couldn’t believe it.
“They (the Doctors) thought Fine would never walk out of Westmead Hospital,” he said.
While this battle has been won, in spectacular fashion by Fine, he will take time to return to full strength and fitness, with a shunt in his head and port in his chest to remain in the short term. Regular checkups with doctors and specialists will also continue but he moves into full recovery mode.
Chemotherapy described by Solomon as heavy a dose as the human body can endure, has taken its toll and while in the short term the challenge to return to full health will continue, but that hardly matters now with Fine having a future to look forward to, one which is free of the devastating disease which threatened to cut short his young life.
“Anything is possible. We thank God for giving Fine a second chance,” Solomon said. “We know there is purpose for Fine. He can spread the message to others that you can’t give up.”
Humbled and overwhelmed by the support Fine and his family had received, Solomon expressed his appreciation to all those who had reached out.
“We can’t thank everybody at the Sharks, Sharks fans, the rugby league community enough for their support,” he said. “And to the Doctors, specialists and nurses who have been amazing.”
While Fine is no longer on any medication for pain or to treat the illness he has so bravely fought, the one last piece to the puzzle is a pill which helps prevent the tumour from reforming or returning.
Although funding is being sought to supply Fine with this particular medicine, which can cost up to $60,000 per year, the Sharks both thank those to have contributed so far to the Fight for Fine cause, while reminding of the GoFundMe page which remains active and would fund such treatments.
Go to the link to donate – CLICK HERE
