https://rainbowsandsmiles-sa.org.za/, http://www.tiktok.com/@rainbows.and.smiles, https://www.linkedin.com/company/rainb

Rainbows and Smiles, Bryanston (2026)

09/09/2026

9 September 2026 (Wednesday) Ayabonga “Aya”
(Age: 9 years old)

Ayabonga’s story is told by her mom, Aviwe. This story was told telephonically. The love in Mom’s voice showed just how deeply she loves her little girl and how much they have fought through.

Aya is a very sweet child. She is kind and caring and loves people. She loves her friends and school. Before her cancer she loved reading and drawing. Even at home, she always wanted her pens. Sometimes she will tell me, “Mommy, I’m going to visit my friends.” That is my Aya.

It started with severe headaches. I gave her Panado, Disprin, everything I could think of, but they did not stop. Then I noticed her eyesight. I would ask her to fetch something and she would look everywhere, but it was right in front of her. I thought maybe she was being careless. I didn’t know.

Then she started losing her eyesight until she could not see anything. She also could not sit or walk properly. This was June 2021. I was in the Eastern Cape because I had just buried my mother. I also had a baby who was turning one.

Aya was staying with my aunt when I got a call saying she was going to hospital. I was confused. What is happening? Then they told me, “Your child cannot see.” The next thing I heard, they were sending her urgently to big hospital in Cape Town.
It was too much. I had just lost my mother. I had a small baby. Now my other child was very sick.

My uncle phoned and said, “The doctor is going to call you. They need permission to operate Aya. It is an emergency.” I kept asking, “What happened to Aya? What happened to my baby?” The doctor called and explained the brain tumour. My mind was blank. I remember giving permission to operate. I was still breastfeeding, but I had to leave my baby with family. I just needed to get to Aya.

When I arrived, she had already been operated on. She had a pipe in her head. It was difficult seeing my child like that. The doctors could not remove the whole tumour because it was in a dangerous place between the nerves of her eyes.
Her eyesight never came back. Our life was not the same again.

Aya has been through more than five operations, chemotherapy and radiation. She has a shunt to drain fluid from her brain. Operations. Chemo. Vomiting. Fevers. Sometimes I felt there was no hope, but Aya gave me hope. She is a fighter.

Then on 21 December last year, I was at work when they came to fetch me. Aya was not responding. When I got home, she was lying there. She wasn't talking. She was having seizures. I kept calling her. “I'm here. Wake up.”
Nothing.

We went from hospital to hospital before they flew us urgently to Cape Town. They changed her shunt. We spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. She developed a fever and went into isolation. She needed oxygen and couldn't swallow, so she was fed through a tube. She was wearing nappies again and struggling with her memory.

It was a lot. But again, we survived it.

Today, people who don't know Aya sometimes cannot tell that she cannot see. She walks by herself. She bathes herself. She plays and talks to people. I am there to guide her. “Okay, now there are steps.” “Now we must turn here.”

We still have MRIs to monitor the tumour, and we have difficult days, but I am grateful. There was a time I was so scared she was going to leave me. I kept reminding her, “Baby, you said you won't leave Mum. Please don't.”

And she kept her promise. She woke up for me.

She cannot see the world around her anymore, but my Ayabonga still finds so much joy in it. She is still here. She is still standing strong. And we thank God.

08/09/2026

8 September 2026 (Tuesday) Andries “Hardus”
Age: 13 years old

This story is incredibly special because it is told by Hardus himself. His mom and I sit quietly together, listening to this funny, thoughtful and incredibly mature 13-year-old tell us his story, his way.

My nickname is Hardus, but people can call me Andries or Hardus. My friends and the people close to me call me Hardus. I love fishing. Fresh water, salt water, anywhere. I love rugby and swimming in the dam and the ocean. Some people say I’m handsome and kind, and I think I’m a nice person… I also love a good prank. I like keeping people on their toes.

“I really love rugby, especially the Springboks. And if I must choose a local team, the Cheetahs, Bulls, Lions or Sharks… I’ll definitely go with the Cheetahs.”
I fished for my old school and even won a prize. I have one younger sister. She is 11.
My perfect day would be fishing and catching a massive fish, hanging out in the sun until I’m red like a tomato, camping and just being with my friends. I also love riding motorbikes.

Hardus stops here to show us all his scrapes and bruises. His “Medals” from being a boy. One of my friends lives on a farm with a giraffe, wild animals and horses. I love going there.

My cancer story started in December. I was coughing and it sounded like I was choking. I thought I just had a bad cough and cold. I couldn’t eat. If I took even one bite of a sandwich, I would vomit. For days, I hardly ate anything. My mommy asked Google what was wrong. She put in all my symptoms and Google told her maybe I had leukaemia.

Hardus looks over at his mom.

“Mommy was stressed. Reading Google at 2am. Praying. I saw her crying. Maybe Google actually prepared my mom for my cancer diagnosis.”

The first doctor thought it was asthma. Mom says, “It just didn’t feel right. His nose was bleeding, he had no appetite, he was pale, vomiting and losing weight.”
A week later I still wasn’t better, so Mommy took me to a pulmonologist for the asthma. That doctor said we needed to investigate more. Even my friends knew I wasn’t myself anymore.

That is when we found out about the cancer ward. At first, they thought it was lymphoma. Then they did more tests and found out I had leukaemia. It was 11 March 2026. I thought leukaemia was like a bad flu. Mommy was crying and I was just chilling, thinking, What is the problem here? Mom was beyond stressed. She says her mind went down a dark tunnel.

She looks up quietly and whispers, “Nothing prepares you for the reality of hearing the word leukaemia.”

The hardest part for me has been the needles and being pricked. I try my best to be brave, but I really hate needles. During one CT scan, I felt God holding my hand. And when I had my port operation, I felt like I saw God and angels around me. It was like I could see everything happening from above. I thought I was going to Heaven.

It is important for me to understand my cancer. I wrote down 43 questions in a book, and my doctor sat with me and answered every single one. She took time to know me and helped me understand what was happening. I feel lucky, I have the best doctor.

One day I want to be a marine biologist. I want to help skinny fish eat better and swim faster. I also want to own a tackle shop, with fish medicine at the back, and save fish from birds grabbing them. I want to be a professional angler too.

Oh, and I want to help people.

I definitely want to donate my organs one day. Maybe I can use my story to ask you to become an organ donor too. Please register, because maybe your organs can help somebody.

Here is the link: https://odf.org.za

If I could tell the world one thing, it would be to believe in God, pray and be positive. And believe what you pray… God will always be on your side. And I want to say my mommy helps me through this every single day. I see her on her knees.

I believe God chose me to walk this path so I can show everyone that there is a God.

07/09/2026

7 September 2026 (Monday) Atlegang -lateralNephroblastoma
(Age: 6 years old)

Precious tells the story of Atlegang (Atle). As we sit down, mom has just arrived, it is a Saturday morning, and we arrived in the middle of peak chaos at the ward. Mom bought fresh foods and snacks as Atle loves mom’s cooking.

Mom shows us a photo of the tumour, and we all agree it looks like a human head. We take a moment to acknowledge the size and magnitude. This mom has kept records of dates, times and pictures cemented in her memory.

Atle loves people and loves giving hugs. She loves teddy bears and cuddling soft toys. She loves playing with friends. She loves watching cartoons, her favourite is coco-melon and peppa pig.

Atle couldn’t wait to join the world and made her arrival at just 31 weeks. I wasn’t ready for her yet. Her room wasn’t prepared, and I hadn’t even done the usual baby shopping. But that is Atle. She does things in her own time.

I noticed that Atle’s stomach was enlarged, and I thought she was just gaining weight. After about 2 weeks her clothes were no longer fitting. Her gogo agreed that something did not look right as only her stomach was growing. Her clothes were hanging on her. She did not have an appetite and would goes days without eating. This was the first symptom.

At the clinic, we saw the doctor. The doctor just looked at her and touched her stomach, and he said it looks like her liver was swollen. He wrote a referral letter to the hospital. When we arrived, they took her for an x-ray, and they admitted her for a week to do more tests. We were transferred to another hospital for scans and ultrasound. This is when they told me is looks like cancer on both sides. Her kidneys were still functioning. We were transferred to another hospital, and this is where they confirmed that she has huge tumours on both kidneys. Again, I was told her kidneys were working. I had to sign consent for Atle to have blood transfusions and start treatment.

The moment I heard the word cancer, the blood rushed out of my body. I believed my child was going to die. I was terrified, broken and I believed there is no cure. I called the siblings and told them their sister could possibly die. It took a long time to realise that cancer was treatable. I had no idea children got cancer. It is a disease for people of 60 and above. The doctors and other parents helped to educate me.

Atle was never that sick, she was just tired and sleepy. After 6 weeks, we were transferred to another hospital (I felt like I was touring hospitals) believing that is where the operation would happen, no treatment happened there and we were transferred to where we are now. Right here, now, where we are sitting chatting and eating our sandwich.

The doctor who welcomed us was so kind and explained everything. He made us feel like we could ask anything. I feel like God made sure we landed here with the most amazing doctors, it took a while, but we feel safe.

I must be strong for my child. This is her journey and I am her mom; her protector and I thank God for all the small blessings we have. Her nausea has been controlled and compared to the children around she is handling it well. Her hair loss was difficult for her; she had beautiful hair.

Her first surgery was quick to remove the right kidney and went smoothly. Recovery was about a week; we went home to spent time together as a family. When we returned for more chemo and then 2 weeks later the major surgery happened to remove the tumour that looked like it had grown roots in the left kidney.

This was the BIG lifesaving surgery. It happened 5 days ago (looking at her you would never say that this little girl watching cartoons just had a big operation) … I was told that the surgery was very high risk, and I was prepared for the fact that she may land up on dialysis and could possibly die. The surgery was dangerous but without the surgery she could not eat and at this stage the pain had started. I told the surgeon I trust him and more than him, I trust my God. I made it very clear that I was not ready to let her go.

I asked about transplant but was told that right now the cancer was the priority. I gave them permission to operate. The sleeping doctor took my number and kept me updated during the operation. I took a moment and said if she does not survive, I may take my own life. I had to pray and ask God for a miracle.

She woke up at 15:28. It was three and a half hours of operation. Atle woke up shouting for me. And I was told to hurry up. My demanding child needed her mom. The doctors saved most of her kidney, I was so happy and thankful. Praise be to God. The relief I felt at that moment is something I can never explain.

My advice to everyone is to listen to whatever the doctors are saying, listen to them carefully, there will be people who give you advise about traditional medicine. People will come with the expensive natural cures, but I promise you cancer needs doctors and medication. Stay focused on the doctors.

I am blessed to be in the best hands now and I trust and appreciate my medical team.

Altegang was born on the 23rd of December, she is a Christmas baby… so we love the theme.

06/09/2026

Today’s story is extra special because it was written by Mpendulo, in her very own handwriting. Her words. Her story. Her journey.

It was such a privilege to sit with her, to listen, and to hear everything she has been through.

Mpendulo, thank you for trusting us with your story. We are so excited to see where your studies and your dreams take you.

We love you. We believe in you.

Today is about you.

05/09/2026

5 September 2026 (Saturday) Banele
(Age: 10 years old)

Banele’s story is told by his dad, Emeka.

My wife, Simangele, and I have four children together. Our Banele loves soccer. When he grows up, he wants to be a professional soccer player. His older brother played for a local soccer team and Banele wants to be just like his brother. He loves his food. Especially junk food. McDonald’s and KFC are his favourites.

Then he started feeling nauseous when he ate. I took him to the doctor, and they told us it was his tonsils. They gave us medication and we went home. On the Tuesday, he vomited again at school. On Wednesday I kept him home because I wanted to watch him. Something was not right.

We went to another doctor. They checked him and said his blood was short. At first, they thought it was his appendix and he was sent to hospital by ambulance. Then the doctor said there could be bleeding on the inside. I was preparing myself for an appendix problem.

After more tests, they told me something was wrong with his white blood cells and that it looked like cancer. A student doctor was the first person who told me that my son had leukeamia. That was the first time I heard those words about my child. I was not preparing myself for cancer.

We were transferred to a bigger hospital where they treat children with cancer. That weekend, the doctor confirmed that Banele needed to start treatment immediately.

I asked, “How long?” They said about six months of intensive treatment. That is when I realised this was going to be a very long journey. They prepared us that the chemotherapy would make him sick. We did not tell Banele everything at once. I told him in small pieces. A little bit at a time. I wanted him to understand, but I also wanted to protect my boy.

But cancer was not only happening to Banele. On 19 January, my wife, Simangele, was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Two days later, on 21 January, we were dealing with Banele. Two of the people I love most in this world. I prayed to God, “Please help me. Please give me strength.” My wife was very sick, and Banele was sick and needed me too. They were not even in the same hospital.

It was too much for one human being. For nine months there has been financial stress. My body is exhausted. But there is nobody else to take care of my family. I must carry on.

When Banele was scared, I told him about Roman Reigns, the WWE wrestler. I explained that Roman Reigns also had leukeamia and went into remission. I wanted Banele to know that somebody big and strong could also have leukeamia.

The first chemotherapy was very strong for Banele. He could hardly eat. It was difficult watching my child become so sick from the medicine that was supposed to make him better. I kept asking myself, Why has this happened to my family?

My son is in one hospital. My wife is in another. I go between them. I watch my child suffering and then I go and watch my wife suffering. I cannot explain what it does to a man to see his family like this and know that he cannot fix it.

Cancer does not feel fair to me. It feels cruel. Sometimes, to me, it feels demonic. It feels like a curse on my family. I know people may not understand me saying this, but this is how it feels when you are standing inside it.

Right now, as I tell this story, my wife is very weak. The doctors have told me to inform our family that they should come and visit her soon. I know what those words mean. And still, Banele needs his dad. My other children need their dad. My wife needs her husband. There is no place for me to fall down. I do have Ntokozo, my wife’s cousin who has been helping us and we are so thankful to her.

I keep praying. I keep being a father. I keep being a husband. But my heart is broken. And I am tired. I have Godly strength now and by the grace of God I am still standing.

Please pray for my family and thank you for allowing me to share my story and Banele with you!

*Shortly after Emeka shared Banele’s story with us, his beloved wife, Simangele, died. With so much heartache, we understand why it may sometimes feel as though this family is cursed. They are not. They are a beautiful family carrying more pain than any family should ever have to bear. We are grateful to be able to hold space for Emeka, Banele and their family, and we hold them incredibly close in our hearts and prayers.*

04/09/2026

Why not join an official run on Sunday as part of your Run for a Reason journey…

Run Zone Athletics Club Page
Rainbows and Smiles

Rainbows and Smiles is a beneficiary of the 3rd Annual aQuellè Jozi Zone 3 Marathon - coming up on 6 September 2026, and entries are still OPEN!

Whether you are building up your fitness, aiming for a strong race day, or just looking for a great running experience in Jozi… this event is for YOU!

QUALIFIER FOR:
✅ Two Oceans 2027
✅ Comrades 2027

📍 Marks Park Sports Club, Emmarentia

🏃🏽 42KM | 21KM — 06:00
🏃🏽 10KM | 5KM — 06:15

04/09/2026

4 September 2026 (Friday) James
Age: 17 years old

James’ story is told by his mom, Theresa. James is one of three boys. He used to drive me mad as he was always breaking things and “fixing” them. When he was six, he took apart a rocking horse and plugged the wires directly into the wall. It tripped the whole house with a loud bang.

James was a busy, mischievous child. A typical boy. Dirt bikes, falling and living his best life. In December, he fell off his dirt bike and had 10 stitches, leaving him with scars. James says, “Chicks dig scars.”

James was supposed to be a girl and out popped our James. The room was decorated pink, and I was ready for a girl. I wouldn’t change James for anything.

My son is not an academic child and battled with the formal education system. I found a place where he could study diesel mechanics, which was so much more James. He started an apprenticeship fixing forklifts and loved his job.

A few months before his diagnosis, I noticed bruises on his body, but James was such a busy boy, I didn’t worry. He wasn’t a sickly child. One morning he woke up with blurred vision. He was also very tired. I took him to the optometrist on Saturday, and she saw bleeding behind his eyes and gave us a referral letter for the hospital.

By Sunday evening he was vomiting and we rushed him to the emergency rooms. They sent us to the eye clinic and then referred us to a larger hospital. His vitals were normal, so they sent us home and told us to come back in a week.

That was the most stressful week of my life. He was vomiting, had tummy pain, no appetite and became very weak. We needed a wheelchair. He was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep, so we went to a pharmacy for pain medication. The doctor examined him, felt his swollen lymph nodes and was worried he was bleeding internally. She wrote a referral letter and told us to go back to the hospital.

When we arrived at hospital, the staff started rushing around him. They tried to take his blood, and it was like liquid, squirting out and dripping onto his shoe. I was told to wait outside. A week ago, my son was fine, and now I was living my worst nightmare.

His dad and I waited. I kept wondering what kind of infection he had. I went onto Google and put in all his symptoms. Google said he may have leukaemia. But honestly, I never thought it could be true. I knew my son was deteriorating so fast, but not cancer.

The emergency doctor came out and told us the blood tests confirmed James had leukaemia. I will never forget the 15th of May. I had read it on Google but never imagined it could happen. I walked away and sobbed. I had to be strong in front of James.

James was the one who took the news in his stride. The first two months James and I were in isolation at the hospital. His eyesight became so bad that he didn’t even recognise the doctor who took his blood. Thankfully, his eyesight has improved.

The hardest part for me has been being away from my other boys and our home. My other children have grown up so quickly. I miss them, but they know I need to be here for James.

The hardest part for James has been lying in bed. He was such an active child. He misses his job, his brothers and earning his little salary from his apprenticeship. His company has promised to hold his position while he is in treatment, and his college is also supportive. That has been such a gift.

One thing I have realised through this journey is that I had no idea there were so many charities quietly helping families like ours. So many people have been kind, including the other parents who understand this journey.

I have become a paranoid mother, Googling everything. This is a long, hard journey with so much waiting and anxiety. Waiting for results is beyond difficult. Waiting while you are living on the edge.

My dream for James is simple. I just want him to be a kid again. I want him to be free, dating girls and living his best life.

03/09/2026

3 September 2026 (Thursday) Thendo
(Age: 7 years old)

My name is Fulufhelo, and I am Thendo's mom. Thendo is seven years old and in Grade 2. He loves playing and going to church, where they play violin. He loves the violin, but my son does not like school. He is a typical boy! But now that he is not going to school, suddenly he misses it.

Our cancer story started on an ordinary day when Thendo was six years old. I was bathing him and his granny was watching us. She looked at his tummy and said, “Fulufhelo, his tummy is growing. Something is growing inside there.” I thought it was nothing serious. Then I touched his tummy. It was hard.

My mother kept nagging me to take him to the doctor. I thought she was worrying too much. But even when you are a grown woman with your own child, you still must listen to your mother! So, I took Thendo to the doctor. I explained what Granny had noticed. The doctor examined him and then told me she wasn't going to charge me for the consultation. That frightened me. Why was she not charging me? She referred us straight to a bigger hospital.

At the hospital, Thendo's blood pressure was high, and the nurse was worried about what they were seeing. I remember praying. We went for a sonar scan, and I was told my little boy had cancer in his kidney.

Thendo was diagnosed with nephroblastoma, also called Wilms tumour. This cancer starts in the kidney and mostly affects young children. I do not know how or where it came from. I will never forget the date. 15 September 2025. It has been a long year.

Thendo had never been a sick child. That was one of the hardest things for me to understand. There were no months of illness or big warning signs. He had a swollen tummy. That was it. I have cried a lot.

Everyone in the cancer ward was so welcoming and this has helped me. The people here have comforted me while I cried and explained that we needed to stay because treatment had to start. I wanted to take my child and run.

Thendo had surgery to remove the tumour from his kidney and had a port inserted. He started chemotherapy. He handles his treatment quite well, although he does vomit and sometimes his circulation is not good. He has also received counselling at the hospital to help him with everything he is going through. Some things have hurt me more than they seemed to hurt him. He is a strong child.

When his hair fell out, children at school laughed at him. They would take off his beanie and say horrible things about his bald head. Thendo didn't seem too bothered. But the teasing of my child, hurt me deep in my soul. I wanted to protect my child from cancer, chemotherapy, needles and the bullies. Children can be cruel. His doctors eventually wrote a letter to the school explaining his illness.

This diagnosis has changed me. Thendo is my only child, and I have become a very worried mother. Before cancer, I think I did not appreciate his health. Now I notice everything. And if you think I worry, his granny is worse. She watches him even more than I do. Thendo and Granny have a special bond.

Sometimes I think back to that ordinary bath and my mother's voice telling me something wasn't right. I am so thankful she kept nagging me. This journey has taught me many things, but one lesson makes me smile: No matter how old you are, sometimes you still need to listen to your mother. When I look at my child, I don't only see cancer. I see Thendo. My only child. My heart.

02/09/2026

Thanks to two amazing sponsors, we were able to…

…deliver a brand new wheelchair to a young patient who has had an amputation. Her eyes sparkled when she realised she could take a break from her crutches. Thank you to The Winnie Mabaso Foundation for making this possible.

…send groceries to a young patient in isolation following a stem cell transplant. Pictured below is her beloved sister receiving their Checkers Sixty60 order. This incredible big sister donated her stem cells to save her little sis.

02/09/2026

2 September 2026 (Wednesday) Cebo
(Age: 6 years old)

My name is Sibongile, and I am the very proud mom of a beautiful young man named Cebo. In November 2025, our whole world changed when we were told that Cebo had leukaemia. Nothing prepares a mother for those words.

Our story started months before, with a sore tummy and a feeling that something was just not right with my boy. In August, Cebo lost his appetite and started having terrible stomach cramps. My happy, /active child became quiet and withdrawn. We went backwards and forwards to hospital, but the tests didn’t show anything alarming, and we kept going home without answers.

But I knew my child wasn’t okay. In September, doctors suspected appendicitis and on 17 September Cebo had his appendix removed. I remember thinking, finally, we have found the problem. But the pain didn’t go away.

Instead, it moved through his body. His shoulders, arms, legs and feet hurt terribly, and he suffered with headaches too. Nights were the worst. There is a helplessness that comes with being a mother who cannot take her child’s pain away. I would have taken every bit of it for him if I could.

On 1 October, Cebo was admitted to hospital again. His blood results showed that something was very wrong, but we still didn’t have an answer. At one stage we were told it could be a stomach ulcer and arthritis. Thankfully, the doctors continued looking. An oncologist became involved and a bone marrow test was done. Then came the words that changed everything. My little boy had leukaemia. Blood cancer.

Cebo started treatment on 17 November 2025. Slowly, things began to change. The terrible pain eased. He started eating and sleeping again. His legs became stronger and, little by little, he began walking again.

Today, my boy is doing so much better. He can run. He can play. Cebo certainly knows how to be a boy! He loves playing games on my phone and PlayStation with his brother. He loves superheroes and fast cars, especially Hulk and Spider-Man.

One of his favourite things is when his cousin Lethabo comes to visit. They share a bed and snuggle up together, warm and cosy. After everything we have been through, those little moments mean everything to me.

When I was asked to share Cebo’s story, I knew I had to. It isn’t easy sharing the hardest parts of our lives, but if our story can help create awareness about childhood cancer, then it is worth telling. This can be such a lonely journey. Our journey is not over. I am currently unemployed and looking for work, and financially things can be difficult with transport, food and everyday expenses. I am grateful to everyone who has helped us. Thank you, Rainbows and Smiles, and everyone who supports you.

Please keep my beautiful boy in your prayers. Cancer became part of Cebo’s story. But it is not the whole story. And for this mama, that is everything.

Rainbows and Smiles

09/09/2026

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