Anita Mitchell is a full-time farmer, mother, and wife. She is an inspiration, showing courage, strength, and determination in overcoming challenges.
When her son, Jovi, now 14, was three months old, he was diagnosed with beta thalassaemia major, a blood disorder. The disease is characterised by severe anaemia requiring regular red blood cell transfusions, and the only cure is a bone marrow transplant, which is not available locally.
An allogeneic bone marrow transplant is the only potential cure for beta-thalassaemia major. It involves receiving high amounts of chemotherapy or radiation to destroy cells producing abnormal blood cells. Bone marrow cells are then infused into the person’s blood from a donor to replace their abnormal cells. Allogeneic bone marrow transplants can be highly effective for treating thalassaemia, but they come with risks of severe complications. Outcomes are generally best when they’re performed early in life.
Jovi has been in and out of hospitals for treatment necessitating painful blood transfusions every two weeks. His parents, Anita and Andrew Mitchell, went through the gauntlet holding fundraisers and shows with the assistance of friends, family, schools, the Society for Inherited and Severe Blood Disorders T&T, charitable organisations, and corporate companies, as they were not able to afford the million-dollar surgery.
Jovi’s application to the Children’s Life Fund Authority (CLFA) for financial assistance was rejected because his condition was not considered life-threatening. Jovi’s surgery cost $1.5 million and was performed at the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome, Italy. The cost did not include airfare, accommodations, and other expenses for the family of four: Jovi, his sister, Ashley, and their parents.
The family sold virtually everything they had to go towards Jovi’s medical expenses. His third bone marrow transplant operation was a success; however, upon their return to Trinidad, they had to start over their lives from scratch. But not event that deterred them.
Speaking from her Gran Couva home, Mitchell said, “The expected stay was nine months, but because Jovi had two rejected transplants, we stayed in Italy for four years.
“His body needed time to recover and build up strength before a third operation, and he was then placed on the international bone marrow registry, where he got an unrelated donor.
“In June 2022, he received his successful transplant.
“We returned to Trinidad in February 2023, and in May 2023 we had to take him back to Italy for an emergency visit where he was diagnosed with a type of kidney disease.”
Mitchell and her husband were unable to work for four years in Italy because they were there on a medical visa. She said whatever little they had owned in Trinidad—household items, car, and farming equipment—they had to sell to live in Italy.
For the items they tried to keep, they had to have friends and family liquidate them on their behalf while they were in Italy.
The Mitchells are vegetable farmers, but they don’t own any land and grow their crops on leased land. She said they experienced a huge change returning home because, being away for four years, they weren’t able to experience the gradual increase in prices for both food and agriculture machinery and chemicals, which were very difficult.
Mitchell, who has nine CXC passes, chose to be self-employed to properly care for her son since she needed a job with flexible time. She homeschooled both her kids while in Italy and cooked meals that they were accustomed to in Trinidad. The family favourite is curry.
Jovi, who was a Standard One pupil when he left T&T, was unable to attend school in Italy. Since he missed so many classes, his mother signed him up to do SEA 2024 as a private candidate, where he passed for ASJA Boys’ College in San Fernando. Mitchell added Jovi did it without being in school and only one day a week of classes with Ms Nancy Baksh.
He was, however, unable to attend school since he was on heavy immunosuppressants for both conditions. Mitchell’s daughter, Ashley, didn’t start primary school when they left for Italy but because of her age (nine) when they returned, she was placed in Standard Two where she is an A student.
She said life has not been easy. When it rains it surely does pour but having a supportive husband, she was always reminded that no storm lasts forever. Mitchell shared that to get through this together, they tried to stay as positive as possible, set goals, and work towards them and working towards a better future for their children.
Despite all that life has thrown at them, Mitchell said they will forever be grateful for a successful transplant and for all who contributed financially to get Jovi his cure. Without genuine citizens, reaching Italy would not have been possible.
Mitchell explained that with blood transfusions, these patients survive, but their quality of life is negatively impacted. She said one of her dreams was to be able to advocate for these patients/parents by using their story with the hope that it will change the hearts of the right individuals in authority to assist the young ones so they too will be able to live a healthier and longer life.
Mitchell enjoys cooking, spending quality family time, and lending a helping hand in any area she is capable of helping in during her free time, even if it means just sitting and listening to someone who is facing some challenges.
She said she always had an interest in joining the medical field. Her goal is to work towards getting on stable ground and then make this dream come true sometime in the future. “That’s why I try to learn as much as possible from our everyday medical challenges,” Mitchell said.
Meanwhile, Jovi wants to be a doctor when he grows up so he can help other children with thalassaemia.
