A toddler from East Timor has had a tumour which weighed one third of his body weight removed by doctors in New Zealand.

The miracle surgery, performed in Wellington on the weekend, saved the life of 14-month-old Alex Gonzaga, who would have died in weeks had the 3.3kg (7.2lb) growth not been removed.

Alex, who weighed 11kg (24lb) before the surgery, has recovered well and is expected to be released from hospital next week when he and his mother Elisa da Conceicao can return home.

The tumour was first spotted by a doctor in East Timor who alerted doctors on board a passing American hospital ship.

When they scanned the toddler, they discovered the enormous growth pushing down on his kidneys, bowels and other vital organs.

He was referred to the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (Romac) program, who then organised for Alex to be send to Wellington where he was operated on by a 10-member surgical team.

Romac provides medical assistance to children from developing nations and helps organise transportation, visas and interpreters for the sick and their families during treatment.

Bill Day, who co-ordinated the trip for Romac, said the tumour was “growing at a rate of knots”.

“It was enormous, he would have been dead in six weeks,” he said.

Mr Day said the tumour’s size in the little boy’s tiny body equated to an average-sized pregnant woman carrying five full-term babies at once.

Mrs da Conceicao said through an interpreter that she was looking forward to breastfeeding her son again and being reunited with her four other children.

Alex was said to be “wide-eyed” when he entered the hospital as he had never travelled so far before. However once the operation was over, Mr Day said he was: “looking happy and playing with his toys”.

Wellington Hospital paediatric surgeon Brendan Bowkett said Alex would have died without the operation.

Mr Bowkett has visited Timor five times to operate on children and said each operation has benefits that reach both countries.

“It benefits the kids that we treat here because it adds to our experience and when the child goes home the villagers see the positive results,” he said. “It is very rewarding.”

The cost of Alex’s operation and travel expenses, estimated at over $NZ30,000 (10,500 p), is covered by Romac, and the surgical team volunteered their services.

Alex is the third child from the Pacific area to be operated on by paediatric specialists in Wellington this year through the Romac program. Another boy had an ingrown penis, and another was treated for massive burns from a cooking accident. Both operations proved successful.

Mr Day said Alex is expected to completely recover.

“It has just been stunning,” he said. “Everyone just pitched in to save his life.”

Times Recommends

• Rio Tinto four held as China prepares case
• Diplomats must keep heads down and trousers up
• When in Rome should one make like Berlusconi?