Dainere's Rainbow

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Dainere's Rainbow

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A legacy to the selfless and inspiring Canberra teenager and brain cancer advocate Dainere Anthoney.

Mission Statement

Dainere’s Rainbow are dedicated to elevating vital awareness, raising funds, advocacy and initiatives to improve outcomes for every child in Canberra and across Australia diagnosed with childhood brain cancer and for families to feel supported, strengthened and valued. Our Vision
One hundred percent cure rate for all children diagnosed with brain cancer through Australian research and quality services and support throughout their illness and beyond. Dainere’s Rainbow maintains a lifetime commitment as advocates to raise awareness and working to eradicate this number one disease cause of death in children. We are dedicated to taking action, giving hope and creating change for childhood brain cancer. We are focused on continuing inspiring and selfless Dainere's legacy and seeing her greatest wish in life of a cure being found for this horrendous disease become a reality. We are also dedicated to extending practical and helpful support in the Community through sharing our experiences of the childhood cancer, palliative care and funeral planning journey by sharing our personal knowledge and useful information in the hope of assisting other families facing a similar situation.

17/10/2026

On 14th October, I was honoured to have Dainere’s story represented at Head to the Hill 2026, organised by Brain Tumour Alliance Australia at Australian Parliament House.

As Dainere’s brother, there are moments when the reality of everything she endured, and everything she was denied, returns with a force that words can scarcely contain. Seeing her story represented in this important national conversation was one of those moments.

A pair of shoes represented Dainere among the stories carried into the Great Hall. Our family could never part with Dainere’s own shoes. They remain far too precious to us, a tangible connection to a sister whose presence continues to shape my life in ways that are difficult to articulate.

Dainere was just 15 when childhood brain cancer took her from us. She endured surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, stem cell transplants and so much more. Yet her story is not defined solely by what she suffered, but by who she was, the life she lived and the future she should have been given.

Head to the Hill brought together families, survivors, researchers, clinicians and advocates calling for stronger research investment, equitable access to specialist care and clinical trials, and sustained support for those affected by brain tumours.

Behind every statistic is a life. Behind every diagnosis is a family whose world will never be the same. And behind every appeal for change is the hope that another child might have more time, better treatment and the opportunity to grow into the future they deserve.

The five-year survival rate for brain cancer is just 24%, compared with 72% across all cancers. These figures represent more than a disparity; they represent the urgent need for better treatments, greater investment in research and equitable access to specialist care and clinical trials.

I cannot change what happened to my sister. But I can continue to carry her story forward, in the hope that it helps make a difference for other children and families.

Dainere deserved more tomorrows. She deserved a future beyond brain cancer.

Every child deserves that chance.

15/10/2026

Some of the most valuable insights into childhood brain cancer come not from medical textbooks, but from the voices of the children who have lived through it.

Following her surgery and treatment, Dainere experienced passive seizures. An electroencephalogram, more commonly known as an EEG, was one of the investigations used to examine the electrical activity within her brain.

With her characteristic eloquence, Dainere documented her experience of this test, transforming a clinical procedure into an informative and deeply personal account. Her words offer a glimpse into the details, sensations and small observations that can so easily be overlooked when a child is undergoing complex medical investigations.

An EEG differs from an MRI or CT scan, which produce images of the brain’s structure. Instead, it records the brain’s electrical activity, helping clinicians investigate seizures and other neurological concerns.

Dainere described the twenty-one electrodes placed across her scalp, the rainbow-coloured leads, the challenges of hyperventilation and the flashing strobe light used during the test. She even reflected on the practicalities of removing the electrode paste from her hair afterwards, finding a moment of humour in the experience.

Yet, beyond the clinical explanations, it is the perspective of a young girl navigating the extraordinary demands of childhood cancer that makes her account so meaningful.

Dainere understood the importance of sharing knowledge. Through her writing, she offered other children and families an opportunity to approach unfamiliar procedures with greater understanding, helping to illuminate what they might encounter along their own difficult journeys.

Her words remain a treasured part of her legacy. They remind us that behind every investigation, every result and every medical decision is a child with a story worth hearing, a voice worth preserving and an experience that deserves to be understood.

We continue to share Dainere’s words in the hope that her remarkable ability to educate, connect and bring understanding will continue to make a difference for children and families facing childhood brain cancer.

13/10/2026

Our First Queanbeyan Trash and Treasure Market!

On Sunday 11th October, Dainere’s Rainbow was humbled and delighted to participate in the Queanbeyan Trash & Treasure Market for the very first time, bringing together community spirit, sustainable shopping and our commitment to children and families affected by childhood brain cancer.

From pre-loved clothing and books to toys, games and household treasures, donated items found new opportunities to be cherished, while helping support a cause so close to our hearts.

Together, we raised $314, with 100% of sales supporting our work. Beyond the funds raised, one of the most meaningful aspects of the day was sharing Dainere’s story with people discovering Dainere’s Rainbow for the first time. Raising awareness of childhood brain cancer and its profound impact on entire families remains central to our work. Every conversation is an opportunity to foster understanding and carry Dainere’s legacy forward.

The market was also a wonderful reminder that sustainability and community generosity can go hand in hand. Giving pre-loved belongings a second life reduces waste while allowing everyday treasures to contribute to something meaningful.

We are deeply appreciative of everyone who donated items, visited our stall, made a purchase or took the time to learn about Dainere’s Rainbow. Our sincere appreciation also goes to the Queanbeyan Trash and Treasure Market organisers for welcoming us and providing this opportunity.

We look forward to returning in December with a special Christmas-themed stall🎄

Together, we can transform pre-loved treasures into hope for children and families affected by childhood brain cancer.

12/10/2026

NATIONAL CARERS WEEK 12th to 18th OCTOBER

When a child is diagnosed with brain cancer, the entire family is changed forever.

Parents find themselves navigating an unfamiliar and frightening world of medical appointments, treatments, difficult decisions and uncertainty, while striving to protect their child, preserve moments of childhood and hold their family together. Beneath their determination lies a profound emotional burden, often carried quietly as they place their child’s needs above their own.

Yet, alongside these parents are siblings, whose lives are also irrevocably changed. They witness the worry, the absences, the exhaustion and the sacrifices. They learn to live with uncertainty, often suppressing their own fears and needs as they try to make sense of a world that no longer feels the same. Their love is no less profound, and their need for care, reassurance and understanding is no less important.

At Dainere’s Rainbow, we recognise that caring for a child with brain cancer extends beyond the bedside. It encompasses the parents who give everything they have, and the siblings who must find their place within a family navigating the unimaginable.

This National Carers Week, we honour the parents whose love sustains their children through the darkest of days, and acknowledge the siblings whose quiet strength and devotion can so easily go unnoticed.

Because when a child has cancer, the whole family needs care. And those who spend their lives caring for someone they love deserve to be held in that same compassion.

May we never overlook the hearts behind the caregiving, or forget that parents and siblings need space to be supported, heard and cared for, too.

10/10/2026

Tomorrow, 11th October, Dainere’s Rainbow will be at the Queanbeyan Trash & Treasure Markets, surrounded by pre-loved treasures waiting for another chapter.

There is something quietly profound about giving something a second life. An object once treasured by someone else can find a new home, while its next chapter can help shape a better future for a child.

100% of every purchase from our stall will go towards childhood brain cancer research.

So your purchase becomes more than something you take home. It becomes a conscious choice for sustainability, an investment in research and, ultimately, an expression of hope.

Because when we choose to give something another life, we can help create greater possibilities for children whose futures should never be defined by brain cancer.

Pre-loved treasures. A second life. A greater purpose.

📍 Queanbeyan Showground
📅 Sunday 11 October 2026
⏰ 8am–12 noon

Come and discover something special. Together, we can turn pre-loved treasures into hope for children with brain cancer.

08/10/2026

As siblings, we came to understand that friendship could be a quiet but powerful form of medicine.

Throughout Dainere’s cancer journey, she was often separated from the people and places that made up her world. Away from home, school and friends, there was an enormous sense of isolation.

Yet Dainere had an extraordinary gift for friendship. Her wisdom, warmth and selflessness drew people of all ages into her life, and she treasured every connection.

Even when she was terribly unwell, she would write letters to her friends. Dad eventually had a printer delivered to Ronald McDonald House so she could print them on her beautiful paper.

We remember the excitement on her face when the mail arrived. She would tell us about every letter, every piece of news, every person who had taken the time to write.

She kept those letters in a scrapbook and returned to them again and again.

As her siblings, we could see what those letters gave her. They connected her to life beyond cancer. They reminded her that she was remembered, loved and still part of the world she had been forced to leave behind.

It taught us something we have never forgotten:

For a child living with cancer, connection is not a little thing. Sometimes, it is everything.

05/10/2026

This Sunday, 11 October, Dainere’s Rainbow will be at the Queanbeyan Trash & Treasure Markets, surrounded by pre-loved treasures waiting for another chapter.

There is something quietly profound about giving something a second life. An object once treasured by someone else can find a new home, while its next chapter can help shape a better future for a child.

100% of every purchase from our stall will go towards childhood brain cancer research.

So your purchase becomes more than something you take home. It becomes a conscious choice for sustainability, an investment in research and, ultimately, an expression of hope.

Because when we choose to give something another life, we can help create greater possibilities for children whose futures should never be defined by brain cancer.

Pre-loved treasures. A second life. A greater purpose.

📍 Queanbeyan Showground
📅 Sunday 11 October 2026
⏰ 8am–12 noon

Come and discover something special. Together, we can turn pre-loved treasures into hope for children with brain cancer.

03/10/2026

Imagine being 11 years old and having to go through something like what Dainere experienced during her chemotherapy.

"Talk about going through a storm to get to a rainbow.

I was feeling really tired, I looked like a billowing cloud - I was so puffy and just felt plain 'weird' then everything escalated in the blink of an eye.

My temperature spiked to 40.1 degrees and I experienced another febrile convulsion, my heart rate went racing, I became even more puffy, and last but not least experienced what could be described as a volcanic eruption of diarrhoea!

Next blood was been gently and expertly drawn by a concerned nurse for cultures to be done and hopefully some answers.

Antibiotics were prescribed an should do the trick.....I was overtired and just wanted to sleep and I felt so grievously ill. Then a very anxious looking nurse informed Mum and I that I was not reaching urine output, so diuretics were prescribed. Fingers crossed all would improve.

But no......my blood pressure took a dip and was drastically low, there was a slight sense of panic in the room, up went the fluids, so much fluid, in fact I could say I felt like a hose had been connected to me and turned on full blast.

No changes....so the next step was to be given two units of blood to try to bring up my blood pressure and also as my haemoglobin as that was also found to be excessively low. "

01/10/2026

🎃 OCTOBER IS THE MONTH TO SCARE CHILDHOOD BRAIN CANCER AWAY! 🎃

When we hear the word scary, our thoughts might wander towards monsters, spiders, the darkness, heights or the countless things which can make us feel afraid.

Yet there is a kind of fear far more profound, and infinitely more cruel, which no child should ever have to know.

Imagine being a child and waking each morning to persistent vomiting, struggling with your balance and coordination, experiencing unexplained changes in your weight, abnormal eye movements or blurred and double vision. Imagine discovering that these may be symptoms of a brain tumour, and then hearing the words no child should ever have to hear: you have brain cancer.

Imagine surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, blood transfusions, endless tests and the enduring consequences of treatment. Then imagine being told that, despite everything, the disease may still take your life before you have had the opportunity to truly live it.

That is a reality I witnessed through four years of my beautiful sister Dainere’s life.

I watched her endure what no child should have been asked to endure, yet somehow she continued to give those around her something extraordinary: courage, strength, compassion and, remarkably, her smile.

That is why I believe the truly frightening thing about childhood brain cancer is not a story or an image designed to frighten us. It is the reality faced by children and families every day, and the fact that far too little has changed.

I am not sharing this to frighten you. I am sharing it because awareness gives us the opportunity to act, and action gives us the opportunity to change lives.

So this October, let us turn fear into purpose.

If childhood brain cancer wants to scare us, perhaps it is time we gave it something to be frightened of.

Let us raise our voices, raise vital funds for childhood brain cancer research and, together, help bring hope where it is needed most.

This October, let’s

30/09/2026

Today marks the closing of International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. We pause with the deepest humility and immeasurable gratitude. To every individual who wore the gold ribbon, painted their nails in shimmering gold, donned golden attire, baked something golden, shared vital information, or gave generously, your actions have shone like beacons of hope and solidarity.

Yet the fight does not end as September fades. Childhood cancer is a relentless adversary, one that devastates lives every single day. Each day children are diagnosed. Each day children fight with unimaginable courage. And, heartbreakingly, each day children lose their irreplaceable and precious lives. This stark reality demands not only a month of awareness but an unwavering commitment to raise voices, spread knowledge, and drive change every single day of the year.

We are guided always by the extraordinary words and vision of Dainere, whose life embodied courage, compassion, and selfless advocacy. She fought tirelessly not for herself but for the children of the future. Her dream was a world where no child would endure what she and so many others have had to.

She wrote:
"My life goal is to do everything humanly possible to make a difference. A cure, heartbreakingly, will not be found in my lifetime, but my wish is that no children in the future will have to suffer as many others and myself have had to.

There are no screening tests for early detection for brain cancer, the treatments are harsh and cause lifelong cruel side effects, and there is no cure, and this is so very wrong."

Let us honour her vision and her indomitable spirit. Let us refuse to let awareness dim with the passing of a month.

May her words ignite a movement of compassion, advocacy, and unyielding determination until the day childhood cancer is no more.

Address

PO Box 325
Mitchell, ACT
2911

Website

http://www.daineresrainbow.com.au/

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