Family, friends and the nation on a whole bid their final respects to baby Micah Kitt yesterday.
The two-year-old, who passed away last month, was laid to rest on Tuesday after losing his battle with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that forms in the nerve tissue.
He was diagnosed with the illness when he was just three months old.
Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer affecting infants and is usually seen in children under five.
It happens when immature nerve cells grow out of control and symptoms typically include fatigue, decreased appetite and a lump in the chest, neck or belly. Its exact cause is unknown.
Kitt underwent chemotherapy in Jamaica before being flown to Cuba for additional treatment in 2019 which was deemed successful.
However, a routine check-up last November revealed that the cancer had returned.
His mother, Romancia Kitt, told Observer in January that Micah was in need of treatment overseas – along with a special drug not available locally – but the Covid pandemic was posing challenges.
With guidance from local and regional specialists, the hospital was able to start chemotherapy for him. The drug – Topotecan – was also sourced but by the time it arrived Micah was not strong enough to receive it.
His funeral was held at the Bethel Gospel Hall in St John’s.