Twenty years ago, the headline was about desperation. A four-year-old girl, fighting a rare and debilitating disease, was being denied vital medication by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Her mother, Theresa Small, was locked in a battle for her daughter’s life.
Today, the narrative has shifted dramatically.
Thalisa Williams-Waithe is now 24 years old. She recently stood before an audience in Miami, Florida, reading a speech at her graduation from the Florida Education Institute – a moment her mother describes as nothing short of a miracle.
“It brought tears to my eyes when Thalisa read her speech and her thank you,” Theresa told the Sunday Sun during a recent interview. “She was not even able to read years before that. To see her now . . . .”
Vitamin B12 injection
Two decades have passed since this newspaper first highlighted Thalisa’s struggle with Methylmalonic Acidemia (MMA), a rare metabolic disorder. At that time, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) was refusing to dispense a crucial Vitamin B12 injection needed to fight infections. Thalisa’s medical condition was also the first of its kind in Barbados.
Theresa recalls those early years as a blur of hospital stays and medical crises.
“Thalisa spent most of her life in the hospital. When she did come home, she would spend a day or two before she’d go back again,” Theresa said, as she recalled the many seizures which left her always wondering if her daughter would survive.
The illness took a heavy toll on the family. Theresa’s son, Christopher, struggled with the attention his sick sister required, often fearing he would lose her. Doctors had given a grim prognosis, but Theresa refused to give up. She pursued nursing to better understand her daughter’s care, eventually becoming a certified nursing assistant.
Life took an unexpected turn in 2024 when Theresa, then working in the Immigration Department, was reassigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was appointed as a diplomat to the Barbados Consulate in Miami heading the accounts section.
It was a massive transition, but one Theresa knew she had to take as a package deal. Along with her husband, she took Thalisa and her ten-year-old granddaughter, Ariyah, to the United States.
The move offered Thalisa a fresh start. After attending the Ursuline Convent and the Derek Smith Vocational Centre in Barbados, she enrolled in the pastry and baking programme at the Florida Education Institute.
On April 29, Thalisa graduated, showcasing a menu that paid homage to her roots: Bailey’s Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cookies and Coconut Sweetbread.
“She wanted to do a Bajan tradition,” Theresa said proudly. “She ended up teaching them her methods. Their bread is not like our bread – she had to teach them about the cherries and the kneading.”
Despite the cap and gown, the future remains a careful balancing act. Thalisa’s condition still dictates her limitations. Previous attempts at employment in Barbados ended in seizures triggered by strenuous physical labour.
“The work was so strenuous . . . she kept getting seizures on the job,” Theresa recalled. “I have to be very considerate about what job she seeks. I don’t want what happened in Barbados to happen over here.”
While Thalisa has successfully transitioned off her daily injections – now managing her B12 orally – and has stopped the seizure medication, the realities of her condition persist.
“She’s 24 now, but she’s not in a situation where she can be fully independent,” Theresa admitted. “That is my number one concern every day of my life. If something happens to me tomorrow, is she ready?”
Crocheting business
Interestingly, Thalisa’s passion may lie beyond the kitchen. She has discovered a talent for crocheting, crafting placemats, napkins and intricate designs.
“I want to continue doing my crocheting business,” Thalisa stated. Her mother agrees that this quieter, skilled craft might be the sustainable path for her daughter, allowing her to work without the physical strain that exacerbates her MMA.
Yet Theresa is proud of all the milestones which her daughter has made despite her condition. From being able to read at 16 and getting five Caribbean Examinations Certificates at grade five. “I was proud of her and I congratulated her because she had spent so many days away from school.”
Theresa’s journey from a worried mother pleading for medication at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to a diplomat managing her daughter’s care in Miami is a testament to resilience. She credits the support of the Erdiston Special Needs Unit, the Derek Smith Vocational Centre, and Dr Sean Bullen for the support given to them.
As Theresa, now 54, navigates the complexities of diplomatic life and securing dependent status for Thalisa in the US, the fear remains, but it is now outweighed by pride.
“I think this is my reward or my acknowledgement,” Theresa reflected on her career progression. “Notwithstanding all that has been going through with my daughter . . . she made it. And she is thriving.” (MB)
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