Sunema Fuatino Mauga, 54 years of age, was a mother of 2 beautiful girls, Karina Martin
and

 Gabrianna Martin.



She was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in May of 2015, when she went in seeking medical attention for her shortness of breath. The cancer was caught too late in her life and it was begining to affect her lungs which was the reason for her shortness of breath. The news was devastating to Sunema's daughter's who are aged, 21 and 17.

Sunema's life was on the brink of death and there was very little the doctor's said they could do to reverse the cancer. The doctor's said they could not give their mother a time frame of how long she could survive but advised them to accept any form of treatment they could afford and pray for a miracle. Karina and Gabrianna prayed about it with family members and friends and accepted the journey and it's challenges to help their mother sustain her life with cancer.

Sunema's eldest daughter, Karina, took on the role of primary caretaker while her youngest Gabrianna focused on her last years of highschool. Karina drove her mother to and from doctor's appointments and treatments, making sure she took her daily medication, in the hopes that Sunema will overcome this malevolent force draining her mother's life. It wasn't easy for Karina because she was also balancing 2 jobs and her first year of college. She wanted to make her mother proud by showing her she could be a young financial independent woman balancing work and school and being able to support her younger sister financially when her mother could not. Sunema would not be able to see Karina complete her first year of college or Gabrianna graduate her final year of high school, class of 2017.





Last month Sunema was admitted into the hospital for shortness of breath. She needed daily oxygen assitance because the cancer had impacted her lungs to the point she could no longer breath on her own. Doctor's had informed Sunema that the cancer had metastasized and spread to her bones affecting her mobility. She became immobile and unable to function self suffieciently with simple tasks such as eating. The doctor had informed Karina and Gabrianna that their mother could pass any day and the best thing to do was to take her home and make her life as comfortable as possible. Karina had to quit her jobs to attend to her mother fulltime. But Karina kept busy by hosting a food fundraiser to help her mother pay for any medical bills and treatments she incurred.

One week after her first fundraiser, Sunema lost her battle with breast cancer on October 14, 2016. Before Sunema had passed she told Karina that her mother came to her in a dream and said she was trying to save her. Sunema had expressed to her daughter's that she would love to be burried in Oak Hill Cemetary next to her parents, Lonise and Apuauro Mauga.

Karina and Gabrianna are looking for your help to raise money to fulfill their mother's wishes to burry Sunema in Oak Hill Cemetary. The costs of the plot, casket, and servics are $10,000 and church services to honor their mother are an additional $2,000. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. 





Please share this story with your loved ones and strangers. October is breast cancer awareness month. Please remember to always get any lump, sores, or health concern looked at by a professional early on. You may save a life by catching symptoms early.