The silent glint in her eyes to take on life afresh said it all.

For over three years, when she was battling a growing tumour in her liver that swelled to about 11 kg, 17-year-old orphan girl from Kenya, Vincencia Awuor, did not know where the meandering course of life would take her.

Initially, being suspected to be pregnant as her abdomen began to bloat, she was put to elaborate medical tests, biopsies and even an aborted surgery since then. But nothing could lift her faltering hopes.

That was about a month ago, until her uncle, Martin Awuor, decided to give it a try for cure in India. Three weeks ago she was admitted into the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad, promoted by noted gastroenterologist Dr D. Nageswar Reddy.

On June 16, a team of doctors, led by Dr G.V. Rao, wrestled with all odds for four hours and successfully removed the 11-kg tumour, which had been occupying “almost her entire abdomen, pushing aside her intestines and liver”.

And on Thursday, as she was getting ready to fly back home, she was determined to become a doctor. “I will become a doctor and help poor children like me back in my country,” she said in faltering English.

For her uncle Martin, the choice was to go to the US for the operation, after doctors in Kenya failed. “But I quickly learnt that mostly Indians would be operating in the US, so why go there? I decided on India and AIG in Hyderabad. And you can see my decision was right,” said Martin, a salesman in Kenya.

Said a triumphant Dr Rao: “All possible energy sources, including cusa and lasers and mechanical devices like clips and staplers, were used to stem blood loss. But even then, the total blood loss was about 13 litres. And thankfully, the tumour was not malignant.”

The institute used the Cell Saver system, which was able to cleanse, warm and transfuse nearly 50 per cent of the blood back to the patient.

Vincencia, who has been permanently cured of the ailment (she has already fallen in love with the famed Hyderabadi biryani ), is now once again full of life and zest, as she prepares for a reunion with her family and friends back in Kenya.

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