Kailem has Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and spent most of 2015 undergoing rigorous treatment at Sydney’s Chris O’Brien Life House.

Late last year he was given the all clear, but earlier this year the Barwick family learned the cancer was back.

“It’s just unfortunate that the 12 months of treatment actually didn’t work,” Kailem’s father Tony said.

“We were hoping for a good result from the previous treatment so it was a bit of a shock.

“It devastated us but we are dealing with it now and we have just got to move on from it.”

On February 22 Kailem had three of his ribs, part of his lungs and three transverse bones on his spine removed in a six-hour operation at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. 

The family is now waiting on the pathologist’s final report, before Kailem begins another 18 weeks of chemo on Monday.

“He’s pretty good, obviously very sore,” Tony said.

“Fingers crossed that they don’t have to operate again and as you can imagine it’s pretty traumatic.

“They operated through his back. He’s got probably a 12 or 14 inch scar. But he’ll get there and we’re staying positive and strong.”

Tony said the family was grateful Kailem was able to undergo this round of chemo at Dubbo hospital’s oncology unit, as well as the Dubbo community for its continued support.

“Especially at [last year’s] fundraising event just everyone was really generous...the messages of support have been so humbling and it’s just good to know that people will rally behind you,” Tony said.

“During his last lot of treatment we spent 132 nights in Sydney so without the community’s support I definitely wouldn’t have been able to be by his side through this process.

“Thanks to everyone involved and all of the staff at the hospitals we have been treated at. You don’t realise how good the medical 

staff are until you have to use them.”