Brave family who rejected donations as their little boy Max Robinson, 4, fought ... trends now
The family of a four-year-old who turned down donations as their little boy twice fought off cancer has been left with no other option following a heartbreaking new diagnosis.
Queensland toddler Max Robinson was diagnosed with leukaemia in March 2021 and has undergone several operations, including a bone marrow transplant.
Max's family was twice told he had entered remission, in early 2022 and mid 2023, after blood tests found no cancer in his system.
However, they were heartbroken all over again on March 16 when a scan found cancer cells in 84 per cent of his body. A scan just one month earlier found none.
'The other week I noticed a couple of bruises on him in the pool and took him in for some blood tests,' Max's mother, Clara Robinson, told Daily Mail Australia.
'Unfortunately, it was back again so this is now his second relapse.'
Queensland toddler Max Robinson (pictured) was diagnosed with leukaemia in March 2021 but recently relapsed
Max and his family (pictured together) now face moving to Singapore for three months to get him specialised treatment
They quickly learned the next available treatment in Australia wasn't going to give Max the best chance at beating his cancer so his parents looked overseas.
'It (Max's cancer) becomes more challenging to treat now because the cells have mutated slightly,' Ms Robinson said.
'They're adapting their genes so they're less responsive to chemotherapy.
'The treatment that would be the next phase in Australia isn't appropriate for Max as two thirds of his cancer cells no longer express the gene that it targets.
'That's why we've had to look internationally.'
The family settled on a children's hospital in Singapore which offers treatment that specifically targets mutated cancer genes.
The program is highly sought after and the earliest the family can secure a spot for little Max is in June.
However, in order to reserve his place, the family will need to pay his medical bill upfront - an estimated $280,000.
To make matters worse, the Australian Government will not assist the family in paying for the treatment as it is considered 'experimental', despite showing positive results for several years.
While they've knocked back donations before, the family has asked for help raising the necessary funds.
A close family friend, Nicola Johnson, started a GoFundMe which has raised over $162,000 since Thursday.
Clara Robinson explained Max (pictured meeting the Broncos with his brother) needs treatment to target mutated cancer cells, which isn't available in Australia
A scan in March found cancer cells in 84 per cent of Max's body after a scan just one month earlier found none (pictured, Max and Ms Robinson in hospital)
'I need your help to get Max to Singapore! To get him this treatment so that he can grow up to look back on this marathon and think, 'Wow I did that and so many people got behind me to get me there',' she wrote.
'The Robinsons are the strongest, most resilient family who, despite everything they have been dealt, have remained optimistic, strong and unwavering in their fight for Max's life.
'This is it team, lets f**k this cancer off once and for
