Teimana Emery-Maaka is proving the doctors wrong every day.
His parents were initially told he might not live to see his second birthday - but that's only a few days away and despite his prognosis, the plucky toddler's condition has improved over the past 12 months.
When the Rotorua Daily Post first met him and mum Levi Emery in January, Teimana had only recently been diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, a rare condition.The onset causes damage to the tissue, particularly in the mid-brain and brain stem, and symptoms include the loss of basic skills like sucking and head control, seizures and eventually organ complications.
This year, he's found his voice, started "talking", gone through stages of eating, and has regained some movement. While he still has seizures, made worse by things like teething, Miss Emery said it was great to see him re-learning skills like lifting his arms and reaching for things, and getting more movement in his legs.
"He's beaten the odds and is only improving."