Oksana Pankova with a canvas photograph of her beloved son Maksim. Photo / David Haxton
Oksana Pankova with a canvas photograph of her beloved son Maksim. Photo / David Haxton
Each day Oksana Pankova goes for a walk to a newly installed seat made in memory of her beloved son Maksim Gurinov.
The seat, along The Esplanade beachfront walkway in Raumati South, on the Kāpiti Coast, has become a special place to think about him and enjoy the beautiful seaview surroundings.
Her visit next month will have extra significance because it will mark the first anniversary since Maksim, known to many as Max, died at the age of 26 from brain cancer.
She hopes to place a box of lollies on the seat and leave a note for passersby to take some.
Giving Max a box of lollies on his birthday was a family tradition throughout the years which will continue in his honour.
"He always said 'Mum thank you very much for bringing us to this amazing place'."
At Kāpiti College, where he was highly motivated and driven to do well, he loved learning and was fascinated with science.
"He dreamed of dedicating his life to becoming a scientist so he could help people fight diseases and help all people," the college's assistant head of technology Natalia Ward recalled.
"While sadly he is no longer with us, we can honour his memory by living his dream for him and doing what we can to make this world a better place."
After leaving college Max went to Massey University in Palmerston North to start a biochemistry degree.
Seating in memory of Maksim Gurinov. Photo / Supplied
He completed his first year with excellence but during the summer holidays, the family's life would turn upside down.
"Max had numbness in his face, dizziness and vomiting," Oksana said.
After visits to Wellington Hospital, an MRI scan revealed an anomaly leading to surgery, over about seven hours, in February 2016, to tackle a cerebrum tumour, on the outer part of the brain.
Oksana said 30 per cent of the tumour was removed and a biopsy showed it was benign and not cancerous.
Doctors advised Max should undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which he did, but the tumour mutated to the highest grade of cancer.
Eight months after the first surgery a neurosurgeon told them there was nothing else they could do and Max would die within a few weeks.
The grim news prompted Oksana to fundraise a lot of money via a Givealittle page as well as Russian and Ukrainian social media posts which led to a Munich neurosurgeon Bernard Meier removing all of the tumour.
There was a lot to be positive about with MRI scans being done every six months in Wellington Hospital with results sent to Munich for a second opinion.
The scans came back clear but just before his first annual MRI scan Max felt unwell.
Unfortunately an MRI scan showed a tumour in the brain stem which meant there was no other option available to save his life.
"Even Dr Meier said there was nothing he could do."
Maksim Gurinov was a kind and caring person who loved life. Photo / Supplied
It was estimated Max had only two weeks to live but he defied the odds and survived for another five months before passing away on September 21, 2021.
Throughout his lengthy ordeal, Max never complained or cried, and he continued his love of learning.
Max, who had a great sense of humour, knew everything about ancient Egypt, and developed a keen interest in cosmology which would see him watch stars for hours through a telescope.
He consoled family by saying although his body was dying, his soul would live on, and urging them to stay strong.
A natural burial was held for him at Makara cemetery where a kowhai tree was planted over him.
In time that kowhai tree will become a magnet for birds, especially tuis, which Max would love as he had a passion for ornithology too.
