From Capri Village to Antarctica - Teen Brain Cancer Survivor’s Journey Inspires the South Peninsula

By Flux Communications

Just over a year ago, 13-year-old Jason Keymer from Capri Village in the South Peninsula was fighting for his life.

In 2024, Jason was diagnosed with a Germinoma brain tumour - a moment his family describes as the line between “before” and “after.” What followed were months of aggressive radiation treatment, the kind that saves lives but leaves its mark.

There was crushing fatigue. Hormonal disruption. Sleeplessness. A loss of appetite so severe that simply eating became a daily struggle. For Jason and his mom, LeAnne Keymer, survival was only the beginning. Recovery would be its own mountain to climb.

Today, at 14 - turning 15 this year - Jason is completely cancer-free. And a few weeks ago, he stood on the bottom of the world in Antarctica.

For a teenager who once struggled to get through a day, reaching one of the most remote places on Earth was more than a trip. It was a triumph.

Antarctica had been Jason’s dream destination since he was a small child. Earlier this year, that dream became reality when the owner of White Desert Antarctica sponsored a life-changing journey for Jason and his mom.

Standing on the vast white expanse - a place known for its extreme conditions and breathtaking beauty - felt deeply symbolic.

“Antarctica has always represented something wild and extraordinary to Jason,” says LeAnne. “To see him standing there, healthy and strong after everything he’s endured, was overwhelming. It reminded us that even after the harshest seasons, life can still be beautiful.”

But this story isn’t just about a remarkable trip. It’s about a community.

LeAnne describes the Southern Peninsula as their “healing mecca” - a place where people showed up in ways they will never forget.

At Wings Hyperbaric Centre in Noordhoek, oxygen therapy became part of Jason’s recovery journey, supporting his body as it rebuilt itself after radiation. Weekly high-dose IV infusions, carefully prepared by Letitia, formed another layer of support during his healing.

When radiation disrupted Jason’s appetite and nutrition became critical, nutritional scientist Heidi stepped in to guide targeted supplementation and nourishment strategies to help rebuild his strength from the inside out.

There were also unconventional therapies - including sessions with Solara Wing’s healing horses in Noordhoek. In the quiet presence of these powerful animals, Jason found grounding and calm during a time when his own body felt unpredictable.

Doctors, therapists, healers, neighbours, friends and family formed a web of support around the Keymers. No single intervention carried him through. It was the collective care of many.

“We have been carried by this community,” says LeAnne. “From medical professionals to friends who simply checked in or brought meals - every single act mattered. When you’re in crisis, you realise how extraordinary ordinary people can be.”

For many families navigating paediatric cancer, the fear doesn’t end when treatment stops. Questions linger:

• Will my child feel strong again?

• Will their body recover?

• Will they be able to dream big?

Jason’s story offers a powerful answer.

Recovery is not linear. There are setbacks. There are hard days. Energy fluctuates. But with medical care, innovation, family support and a community willing to step forward, healing is possible.

Antarctica is often described as one of the harshest environments on Earth — brutal winds, extreme cold and vast isolation. Yet life exists there in remarkable ways.

For Jason, standing on that ice wasn’t about escaping his diagnosis. It was about proving that it does not define the size of his future.

In a country that often feels weighed down by difficult headlines, this South Peninsula story is a reminder that communities still rally. That kindness still shows up. That children are braver than we imagine.

And that sometimes, after the hardest battles, you get to stand at the bottom of the world - cancer-free - and realise your dreams were bigger than the diagnosis all along.