Fred’s fight: Why better brain cancer treatments are the treasure we’re seeking
2025-04-01
After joining oncology survivorship last October, 13-year-old Fred Corbett has started high school and achieving dreams that might not have been a reality earlier in his life.
Diagnosed in 2015, Fred is now in remission but still dealing with the long-lasting side effects from his battle with medulloblastoma, the most common type of childhood brain cancer.
Fred has a number of challenges resulting from his diagnosis and treatment, including moderate to severe hearing loss, cognitive impairments and complex endocrine deficiencies.
His mum, Marion, explains that these are an effect of what is required to treat paediatric brain cancer.
“His body doesn’t produce enough cortisol, especially in times of crisis. So, if he experiences a major illness or injury, he needs a cortisone shot immediately.
“He wears a medical alert bracelet and has a phone with emergency information, but if he wants to go for a bike ride by himself and stacks it, we just have to hope that a stranger finds him and calls an ambulance."
Despite his continued challenges, Fred’s character continues to blossom as he enters adolescence. When he’s not at school, he’s balancing allied health sessions with playing soccer and finding time to socialise.
"He’s just the sweetest kid,” Marion says. “You know how some 13-year-olds are just too cool for school? That’s not Fred. He’s so sweet, and he’s all heart."
Fred’s journey through survivorship shows that there’s still limited options available when it comes to treating childhood brain cancer.
Children are exposed to dangerously high levels of chemotherapy and radiation, which leaves long lasting effects – and risks of secondary cancers.
It’s why Marion is a staunch advocate of childhood brain cancer research and the work that The Kids’ Cancer Project does is to help fund more effective, less harmful treatments for children with cancer, through days like Pirate Day.
Pirate Day – held in May alongside Brain Cancer Awareness month – is an annual opportunity to dress up as a pirate and gather as much treasure as possible to fund vital research into brain cancer treatments.
"There’s immunotherapy for a few cancers now, but for brain cancer, they’re still going at it with what I’d call a bit of a blunt instrument,” Marion says.
“The younger you are, the worse the impact—especially when it comes to radiation on the brain. When cancer affects the brain, it affects everything—quality of life, capacity, independence."
"Even ongoing psychological care for kids who’ve been through this isn’t a given. Every therapy Fred receives, I’ve had to push for. That’s why all The Kids’ Cancer Project’s programs make such a difference. We have to focus on quality of life.”
As simple as it sounds, when you strap on an eyepatch and sword this Pirate Day, you’ll be helping us fund researchers to help kids with brain cancer like Fred.
To learn more about how you can support a fundraiser or take up the opportunity for your school, workplace or family, hit the button below.