This young South African beat leukaemia as a baby and is determined to beat the new cancer now ravaging his body

Pain and trauma have been his constant companion almost all his life yet a smile is seldom far from his face. 

Perched on a chair between his parents, Reef Carneson grins, waves at us on the other side of the computer screen and giggles shyly before burying his bandaged head in his dad’s chest.

His parents, Ryan and Lydia (both 41), are all smiles too as we catch up with them in the US city of Cincinnati via a video call.