Diagnosed with Terminal Brain Cancer at Two, 17-year-old Tristan Smit’s Life Celebrates the Legacy of Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels

At just two years old, Tristan Smit was facing a reality no family should ever have to confront. Diagnosed with a terminal cancer tumour in his brain stem – his second cancer diagnosis at the time, Tristan’s parents, Helen and Pierre, were told their son had only six weeks to live. They were advised to keep him comfortable, manage his pain, and prepare to say goodbye.

Yet, amid the despair, a beacon of hope emerged, a specialised proton therapy treatment available in Texas, USA. The treatment, however, came with an impossible cost – far beyond the reach of the Smit family.

In March 2010, Tristan’s teachers at his crèche refused to accept that nothing more could be done. They reached out to Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels, asking for help. What followed was a moment that would forever change Tristan’s life. Helen was surprised on air with a large portion of the funds needed for her family to travel to Texas, giving Tristan access to the life-saving treatment he so desperately needed. Against all odds, Tristan not only survived but flourished.

Now, 15 years later, Tristan’s story continues to inspire. He celebrated his 17th birthday in April last year, a milestone that once seemed unimaginable, and a powerful reminder of what is possible when compassion meets action.

As Jacaranda FM celebrates Good Morning Angels’ 20th anniversary, Helen and Pierre reflect on how their lives have changed thanks to the incredible initiative. “We had a lot of angels in out path that made this whole journey possible,” Helen says. “I really want to say thank you to Jacaranda FM and Good Morning Angels for the awareness they made around my son’s condition and giving him the treatment he needed.”

“Tristan’s story is one that stays with you,” adds Martin Bester, host of Jacaranda FM’s Breakfast With Martin Bester. “It reminds us that behind every Good Morning Angels moment is a real family, a real child, and a real future at stake. Twenty years later, the heart of Good Morning Angels remains the same – ordinary people coming together to give others hope when they need it most.”

Over the past two decades, Good Morning Angels has become one of South Africa’s most trusted upliftment initiatives, offering support during some of life’s most overwhelming moments. From medical assistance to life-altering interventions, the initiative continues to prove that kindness, when amplified, can change the course of a life. For Helen, Pierre and Tristan Smit, that kindness became a lifeline.

As Good Morning Angels celebrates 20 years of impact, Tristan’s journey stands as a living testament to the power of community, the resilience of the human spirit, and the extraordinary outcomes that can emerge when people choose to care.

Listen to Good Morning Angels every Wednesday morning on Jacaranda FM’s Breakfast With Martin Bester.