From the rugby pitch to the fight of his life, young Qhawe is facing osteosarcoma with inspiring resilience, surrounded by the love of his family, friends, and community.
Johannesburg, South Africa (15 September 2026) – To his mother, Qhawe is “Creamy”; to the Rainbows and Smiles team (and all of us), he is a young warrior facing osteosarcoma with inspiring courage.
Before his diagnosis, Qhawe’s life revolved around sports, whether playing or watching them. It was during a game of rugby that he broke his ankle – a setback that put him on crutches for six weeks.
When the cast finally came off, Qhawe began experiencing pain in his left hip.
“We thought it was from putting all my weight on that side while my ankle healed,” Qhawe shares. “My mom, who’s a doctor, gave me painkillers, but then the hip started swelling. I was writing exams at the time, so the pain had to wait its turn; we just kept blaming the ankle.”
His mother eventually took him for an X-ray at her workplace, but nothing out of the ordinary appeared. Subsequent CT and MRI scans, however, revealed that something was wrong. While doctors initially suspected a cyst, further tests were ordered.
During a visit to his cousin for a homecoming ceremony, Qhawe’s pain escalated severely. He was rushed to the doctor and immediately admitted.
“They did a biopsy on my bone marrow. That’s when we heard it: cancer, a bone tumour.”
He was referred to a specialist in Cape Town, but because the doctor couldn’t operate until February, Qhawe’s mother tirelessly searched for other available specialists. The family eventually flew to Johannesburg to consult a doctor who was shocked by how rapidly the tumour had grown.
“My mom is the one who pushed and pushed until they saw me properly. The pain got so bad I ended up in ICU for two weeks on the strongest stuff, like morphine, and I still couldn’t sleep. I was in massive pain and so uncomfortable.”
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The Gin Squad Drops 5 Tonnes of Pet Food on Tshwane SPCA!Qhawe underwent a debulking operation and began chemotherapy shortly after.
“I was bedridden. Icouldn’t even get up, just sitting on that bed the whole day. A physio came to help me walk again. I can’t use my left leg fully, but crutches are doing the job now. Chemo has shrunk the tumour, and after cycle six, they’ll remove what’s left. Then it’s just check-ups forever, hopefully,” he shares with optimism.
As the first person in his family to face a cancer diagnosis, the battle has taken a heavy toll, and being separated from his siblings during treatment has been especially tough. Yet, Qhawe keeps fighting. He views his mother as his biggest hero for fighting tooth and nail to secure the care he needed, and he counts his friends and medical team among his greatest blessings.
“My friends back home wanted to shave their heads for me when they heard. Now I know how important friendship really is. I miss them so much. My doctor here is like a second mom, and the nurses are too.”
By sharing his journey, Qhawe hopes to spread awareness and encourage others facing similar battles to remain resilient. His motto is simple:
“Be strong for yourself first, so you can be strong for the people who love you.”
Rainbows and Smiles invites the public to stand alongside Qhawe and other young warriors by lacing up their sneakers for the Run for a Reason fundraiser. Taking place throughout September, the initiative raises direct funds to support children fighting cancer and their families, showing them they never have to walk this path alone.
Sources: Rainbows and Smiles
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