Some kids are simply special.

Noah “Schuey” Schuback is one of them.

He’s the kind of kid who never complains, even when he’s hurting. The kind of kid who always thinks about everyone else before himself and goes out of his way to make the people around him smile. Whether he’s making a mate laugh, encouraging a teammate or looking out for his little sister, Noah’s happiness has always come from making others happy.

He’s a much-loved son to Mark and Amy, an incredibly proud big brother to Ivy, a loyal friend and a teammate who gives absolutely everything every time he pulls on a jersey.

Whether he’s pulling on the Woden Valley Rams league jersey, the Marist College rugby jersey, talking footy with his mates or simply spending time with family and friends, Noah has always been happiest doing what he loves most—being around the people who mean the world to him.

Just weeks ago, life looked very different.

After what started as unexplained pain, Noah and his family received the devastating news that no family could ever prepare for. Noah has been diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma/leukaemia—an extremely rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.

In an instant, everything changed.

Home became a hospital room.

School became treatment schedules.

Weekends became chemotherapy.

And the future suddenly became uncertain.

For the next 6–8 months, Noah will be living in Sydney while he undergoes intensive chemotherapy. It means being away from home in Canberra, away from his friends, away from the rugby field he loves and away from the life every 13-year-old should be living.

Yet through it all, Noah continues to amaze everyone around him.

He faces every needle, every procedure and every setback with a courage that most adults would struggle to find. Even now, he worries more about how everyone else is coping than he does about himself. He still smiles. He still asks about his mates, his teammates and how everyone’s going. He is, and always will be, our Schuey.

Behind Noah stands a family doing everything they can to hold each other together.

Mark and Amy have put their lives on hold so they can be where every parent wants to be—right beside their son. Ivy is trying to navigate missing her brother while adjusting to a new normal that no little sister should ever have to experience.

Like so many families facing childhood cancer, they aren’t just fighting the disease. They’re managing accommodation, travel, meals, hospital parking, time away from work and the countless unexpected expenses that come with months of treatment far from home.

If you know Mark and Amy, you’ll know this page is something they never would have asked for themselves.

They’re the people who quietly help others. The ones who show up without being asked. The ones who give without expecting anything in return.

So we’re asking on their behalf.

If you’re in a position to donate, your generosity will help ease the financial pressure of the months ahead so this family can focus on what matters most—helping Noah get well and keeping their family together throughout his treatment.

Throughout this journey, the Schuback family has already experienced the incredible kindness of charities and foundations that support children with cancer and their families. Their compassion has made an immeasurable difference during the hardest days. If, at the end of Noah’s treatment, there are funds that aren’t needed for the family’s immediate expenses, it is their heartfelt wish to pay that kindness forward by supporting those same organisations, so they can continue helping other families beginning journeys just like this one.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a genuine difference.

And if you’re unable to donate, sharing this page, sending Noah a message or simply keeping him and his family in your thoughts means more than you could ever know.

Noah has a mountain to climb.

But he doesn’t have to climb it alone.

He has an army behind him—his family, his friends, his teammates, his school and his wider community.

Let’s remind Noah that while he’s fighting the biggest battle of his life, we’re all fighting beside him.

#Schuey

If you’re pulling on a jersey this weekend—or any weekend, in any code of sport he loves—league, rugby, Tag7, Oztag, basketball, AFL or anything in between—grab a marker and write “Schuey” on your forearm before you run out.

Take a photo. Share it. Tag Noah and use #Schuey and #TeamSchuey.

Because every time Noah sees those photos, he’ll be reminded that although cancer has taken him off the field for now… he’s still very much part of the team, and he’s never alone.