Australian musician Tash Sultana is leveraging her public profile and personal experience to support a close friend's teenage son as he confronts a rare form of cancer.
At just 16 years old, Maddox Pitchers — described as a "loving, fun, loyal friend and brother" — is fighting for his life after being diagnosed in March with embryonal carcinoma, a rare testicular cancer that typically affects men aged 20 to 30.
This diagnosis is the latest in a series of cancer battles for Sultana, whose partner Jaimie was diagnosed with cancer in 2025.
"It's pretty shocking when you find out that a 16-year-old has got cancer and then they have to completely change their life around it," Sultana told 7NEWS.com.au.
"You've got to think about, like, his mates finding out and school friends finding out. It's not something ... you want to experience when you're that young, let alone ever."
When Maddox first noticed a lump, he — like many boys his age — was too nervous to seek medical advice. He only got tested after experiencing increased fatigue and general unwellness.
By that stage, the cancer had already spread to his lungs and stomach, turning the family's life upside down.
Sultana said her friend, Maddox's mother Lara, must remain strong for him and his three younger siblings.
"Lara is holding down the fort with multiple kids and this means that she inevitably has to put her life on hold and pivot," Sultana said. "Her priority is to Maddox right now and the family, the whole family needs support."
Fellow family friend Natasha Jones has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family cover everyday expenses, travel costs, and Maddox's additional needs during his cancer treatment.
Sultana has shared the fundraiser with her substantial social media following, a gesture Jones described as "amazing".
"It means everything, especially for awareness," Jones said. "When you have a following like that it can be used to turn such a negative into a positive."
Jones said Maddox is handling the diagnosis "quite like anyone else, definitely rattled and probably just trying to come to terms with it".
"Lara's been super strong ... I think she's just gone into like flight or fight, we got to do what we got to do."
Maddox faces nine weeks of chemotherapy, which could interrupt his apprenticeship and his passion for surfing, depending on how his body responds.
While the delay in testing allowed the original tumor to metastasise, it was nonetheless caught before spreading to more critical areas of the body — giving Maddox a good chance of overcoming the disease.
Both Jones and Sultana hope Maddox's story will encourage other teenage boys to overcome any nerves or embarrassment and seek medical attention for any concerning symptoms.
"This disease can hit any age and I think this might be a really amazing awareness opportunity for other young boys who might be a little bit embarrassed if they feel a lump," Jones said. "Because, as teenagers, everything's all really embarrassing."
