Jett’s mum, Erin, vividly recalls the day their lives changed forever. “He was the ultimate sporty kid, he’s just across all sports. He was at swim training the day we got the call to say, ‘You need to get to the hospital, there’s something wrong with Jett’s blood’,” she remembered.
At just 11 years old, Jett was diagnosed with Precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). He immediately began an intensive course of chemotherapy. Sadly, after almost 12 months of treatment, Jett faced a devastating setback – he developed sepsis and was placed on life support, with dialysis, for 12 days.
“He was a miracle. We remember the doctor telling us that he was the sickest child in Victoria, and they didn’t expect him to survive. His organs were starting to fail,” she recalled.
In a critical moment, doctors turned to Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for seven days to keep Jett alive. Against all odds, Jett pulled through, but his journey was far from over.
He spent three months in hospital, relearning how to move and walk, only to face another major setback. Steroids prescribed as part of Jett’s treatment for ALL caused avascular necrosis throughout his body, severely affecting both his hips, and requiring bone grafts and more time spent in a wheelchair.
Despite everything and the unimaginable setbacks, Jett’s spirit and determination has never wavered. Fortunately, there’s now many things for him to celebrate and look forward to. Jett completed his final round of chemotherapy on April 2.
“There were lots of smiles over the weekend as we count down the days. His birthday is on the 24th of April, so that’ll mean that he can ring the bell (a tradition to mark the milestone of completing cancer treatment) on his birthday, which will be special,” Erin emphasised.
Recently, Jett was able to attend a Melbourne Storm training session and a game, meeting his favourite player, Cameron Munster – a moment that brought plenty of smiles. As a big Melbourne Storm fan, Jett was invited to take part in the Kick for a Cause initiative. Held during Magic Round 2026 (May 15-17), the initiative unites NRL fans, clubs, hospitals, and partners to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer.
Jett celebrates ringing the bell with RCH staff