16-year-old cancer warrior from Perth, Rinaldo, shares his journey at Perth Super 440

Post

Subscribe

Facebook Group

SuperUtes driver Jimmy Vernon shines spotlight on kids with cancer

At the 2025 Bosch Power Tools Perth Super 440 (6-8 June), SuperUtes driver Jimmy Vernon ‘The Phantom’ will be racing for kids with cancer, with the photo of 16-year-old cancer warrior Rinaldo on his helmet. Rinaldo and his family will join Jimmy at CARCO.com.au Raceway (Wanneroo Raceway) to go behind the scenes in the pit, sit in Jimmy’s race car, meet drivers and more. Rinaldo and his family are sharing their childhood cancer journey to help shine the light on the 1200 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer each year, and the important work charities such as Kids with Cancer Foundation do to support these children and families.

Rinaldo’s journey: a story of courage, determination and hope – written by Rinaldo’s father Wayne

Rinaldo was born in South Africa and grew up like most boys, healthy, strong, and full of energy with a humble heart. From a young age, he embraced every challenge with determination and joy. He loved school, spending time with his friends, and had a deep passion for golf, dreaming of one day playing pro-amateur tournaments.

After moving to Perth a few years ago, Rinaldo continued enjoying life like any other 15-year-old. He quickly adapted, discovering all the opportunities the city had to offer. A big dreamer with a heart full of hope, he set his sights high and was determined to make every dream come true.

But in December 2023, everything changed.

On 18 December 2023, after weeks of persistent illness and little improvement despite several GP visits, we took Rinaldo to the Emergency Department at Perth Children’s Hospital. That night, I was woken by him in pain, struggling to breathe and sleep, and nausea. We arrived at the hospital just after midnight and waited six long hours before seeing a doctor. Once the doctor heard about his symptoms, she ordered some tests.

Not long after, a new doctor arrived with several others. I was taken into a room where they delivered news no parent is ever prepared to hear, they suspected T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. My wife rushed to the hospital to be by our side as further tests were conducted. Those words are still fresh in my memory today.

Rinaldo was immediately admitted to ICU. A mass in his chest had reduced his lung capacity to just 30%, and his heart was under severe pressure. He was recognized by staff as the teenage boy with the largest chest mass they had ever seen in a teenager. And although Rinaldo has a deep fear of needles, he faced this terrifying time with incredible courage.

He spent 7 days in ICU, then a further 10 days in the oncology ward, before finally being allowed to come home for the first time. We spent our first ever Christmas in a hospital.

From that day forward, we’ve documented every step of his journey. One day, we hope to write a book, not just to share what he’s been through, but to honor his bravery and help others going through something similar.

January to April 2024 brought the most intense challenges. Rinaldo went through multiple rounds of intensive chemotherapy, suffered complications like blood clots, severe infections, headaches, and endured repeated hospital admissions. He had multiple PICC lines, lumbar punctures, and ports inserted and removed. His bone marrow responded poorly to initial treatment, forcing doctors to shift him onto a new therapy plan. This brought some other challenges.

In April 2024, tragedy struck again when Rinaldo suffered a seizure. He was rushed back into ICU and placed in an induced coma while doctors worked to stabilize him. When he woke, he struggled to speak and move, his legs were weak, and his speech was slurred. He faced a road of physical recovery and needed a wheelchair for a time. But with determination and the support of his physio team, Rinaldo slowly regained his strength and mobility.

Throughout this time, Rinaldo missed most of Year 10. He couldn’t write exams and only had brief periods at school. With the help of dedicated Hospital School teachers and online learning, he stayed engaged, even if just for a few hours at a time. He missed his friends, his sport, his freedom, his whole world changed overnight. It was heartbreaking to watch as parents. The most important thing for him was to focus on his health.

Despite all of this, Rinaldo never gave up. He would always smile and say “I am fine”.

He endured endless blood and platelet transfusions, weekly chemotherapy, daily medication, painful injections, and frequent visits from the Hospital in the Home team. He faced setbacks and uncertainty with incredible strength and maturity well beyond his years.

The trauma of this journey has affected our entire family deeply, both emotionally and mentally. But through it all, Rinaldo has remained resilient, brave, and kind. He is still that respectful, gentle young man, but now, he has found his voice. Once a quiet introvert, Rinaldo has become an inspiration to many.

In 2025, he returned to school full-time. Year 11 is keeping him busy and slowly leading him to his dream. With unwavering support from his school, teachers, and principal, Rinaldo is now achieving some of his best academic results. He attends regular physio sessions to build his strength, and slowly, he’s preparing for his next chapter.

And that next chapter is a dream he’s held onto from the very beginning, to join the Royal Australian Navy.

We recently visited the HMAS Hobart and HMAS Warramunga in Bunbury, and Rinaldo has attended ADF Careers Days to explore his options. He’s committed to completing Year 12 and finishing his maintenance phase of treatment, which runs until 2027. After that, he hopes to serve his country.

In his spare time, Rinaldo enjoys golf, fishing, swimming, and photography. And perhaps most touching of all, he’s already thinking about how he can give back. He supports other kids going through cancer and has expressed a heartfelt wish to help others, just as so many people have helped him.

We are forever grateful for the incredible support we’ve received, from South32, small friends’ group in Australia, friends, and family in South Africa, the Perth Children’s Hospital staff, social workers, cancer support foundations and organisations, and our extended community. Your check-ins and kindness have carried us through our darkest days.

Rinaldo lives each day to the fullest, stays focused on his dreams, and never let’s go of hope. His courage lights the way not just for our family, but for many others facing similar battles. He reminds us that no matter how hard the fight, anything is possible with heart, faith, and determination.

Kids with Cancer Foundation is committed to making today easier for kids with cancer and their families through providing direct financial support to families, Care Packs, Wigs4Kids, plus funding critical hospital salaries and infrastructure, cancer research and more.

In November 2024, Kids with Cancer Foundation pledged $450,000 over three years to Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation to support world-leading immunology research that could lead to a vaccine to help beat childhood cancer. Information on this pledge and the important research it supports is here: https://kidswithcancer.org.au/proudly-supporting-perth-childrens-hospital-foundation-and-cancer-vaccine-development



Follow Jimmy Vernon's racing action at https://www.facebook.com/JimmyVernonRacing

To learn more about Kids with Cancer Foundation, visit www.kidswithcancer.org.au

#family_friendly
#community
#services
#fundraisers
#foundation
#kidswithcancer
#v8superute
#racecar
%perthmums