Teen cancer survivor fulfils dream of standing at bottom of the world

Cape Town teenager Jason Keymer's remarkable journey to visit Antarctica while overcoming cancer has tugged at the community’s heartstrings.

With a dream to stand at the bottom of the world, the 14-year-old underwent grueling and aggressive treatments after being diagnosed with a Germinoma brain tumour in 2024.

"For the whole year he was undergoing radiation… [suffering from] fatigue, hormonal disruptions, sleeplessness and severe appetite loss,” said Keanan Harmse, a journalist for the People’s Post.

While the treatment saved his life, it came at the cost of his body strength and nutrition.

The journey was far from easy, but his community in Capri Village became a healing haven, where people showed up in ways that the family would never forget.

"The community was his healing mecca, with people visiting him, checking in, making meals, sending messages of support, and offering assistance in any way they could.

“He's thankfully cancer-free, and his dream was to visit Antarctica. That was his dream that shone through the darkness of his challenging times."

And with the help of White Desert Antarctica, a few weeks ago, he stood at the bottom of the world with his mother, LeAnne, fulfilling a dream he had held since he was a young boy.

Harmse said that Keymer’s story was a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was always home.

“I was just very humbled and very inspired by his prayer journey as a 14-year-old. He's also a great learner, and the pure bravery it takes to tackle those challenging circumstances with fatigue and appetite loss is something that I found very inspiring."

To listen to Harmse with CapeTalk’s Clarence Ford, use the audio player below: