Tua's family face fight for their lives

David Tua is staying focused. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Boxing great David Tua has been rocked by a second family member being diagnosed with cancer in less than a year.

The heavyweight's sister-in-law Vania Savila learned she has stomach cancer, just months after Tua's mother had a mastectomy to remove breast cancer.

Savila, a 44-year-year-old mother of two from Manukau, was diagnosed with cancer in April and had her uterus removed. She has been receiving chemotherapy after the cancer spread to her stomach.

Tua's wife and manager, Robina, said the family were praying that Vania would respond well to the second round of chemo treatment.

"Usually when it spreads to the stomach, it's very hard [to recover from]. But she seems okay and we are trying to stay positive."

Robina said David withdrew from appearing at the opening of Eden Park last Sunday to take care of Savila.

"He is just trying to focus on his boxing rather than all these ups and downs.

"The disease seems to be taking every one down, it's heartbreaking. But David is a true professional, you have to be in the world of boxing. It's brutal and they don't allow for any weakness."

Robina's sister had been in and out of hospital and family members were taking turns at looking after her. As well as supporting his family, Tua was training for his next fight, which is believed to be in December.

Savila wrote of her battle with cancer on the social networking site, Twitter.

"I have 15 weeks of chemo. Yay 2 a BALDHEAD," she wrote after being diagnosed.

Weeks later she posted: "Bring on the BALDNESS. . Am going all N.A.T.U.R.A.L . . No Wigs for me. . :)"

Tua's mother Noela was doing well, said Robina. "David is a real mummy's boy so we are ecstatic that she has shown no further signs of the disease."

bevan.hurley@hos.co.nz