FOR Shakira Warmington, raising a child with rare genetic condition congenital hyperinsulinism has been an uphill battle peppered with sleepless nights, financial strain, fights for a place in the country’s school system, and at times, questions of whether she has the strength to keep going.

Her son, Ayoze Warmington, is just six years old with a condition that sees his pancreas making too much insulin, causing severe and dangerous drops in his blood sugar. His condition, she said, is so rare that he is the only child in Jamaica diagnosed with the disorder, which was confirmed by his medical doctor.

Shakira said her son became sick at six months old, experiencing seizures and what she described as minor strokes. However, she said it was not until he was one year old that doctors were able to identify the condition.