Our community has rallied in the most heart-warming way for young Merbein resident Michele Dichiera, raising more than $56,000 to try and save his right foot from an extremely rare and aggressive tumour.
Michele, 12, was born with a giant cell angioblastoma, with current treatments proving ineffective, leaving his specialists in Melbourne with two options – a trial medication called ‘Cabozantinib’ – an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor which they hope will heal the tumour, or, as a final resort, amputation.
Approved to use Cabozantinib in May 2026, the treatment is set to cost the family approximately $7,500 a month, leading to SRS launching a fund-raising campaign to help the family bear the cost.
This campaign came to a head this past Sunday, with Michele and his family presented with funds raised following an epic 24-hour continuous run organised by members and coaches of the Boxing Cartel – a local gym built on community, connection and wellbeing.
The group, who were joined by community members and Michele’s extended family and friends throughout the 24-hour run, chalked up kilometre after kilometre at the Mildura Sporting Precinct to raise money and awareness for the cause.
They were led by Boxing Cartel director Nick Wakefield, who through sheer grit and determination clocked up more than 120 kilometres in an inspiring and emotional 24-hour solo effort.
The Boxing Cartel’s efforts raised approximately $15,000, with the group attracting sponsorships while also raising money through two barbecues and a raffle held across the weekend.
Sunraysia Residential Services CEO, Marian Luehman, was also on hand to present Michele, whose father Rob is a member of the extended SRS family, with a donation of nearly $31,000 on the night following the organisation’s two-month campaign to support the family.
Donations have continued coming in following the weekend’s run, with $41,816.79 raised as of 23 June 2026.
Michele’s mum, Raschelle, was overcome with emotion following the 24-hour run, thanking the Boxing Cartel, SRS and the wider community for their support.
“We can’t thank Nick and the Boxing Cartel enough for taking on the unbelievable challenge of running for 24 hours straight,” she said. “Your dedication, generosity and determination has left us overwhelmed.
“Seeing so many people come together for our little boy means more than words could ever express.
“It’s been a long 12 years for Michele… facing challenge after challenge with this medical condition.
“We would also like to thank Marian and the team at SRS, who started the fund-raiser for Michele and helped share his story, we could never have asked for this support ourselves.
“Thank you for your kindness and belief in our family, it’s created a community movement that’s given us hope in a tough time.”
An exhausted Nick Wakefield thanked the Cartel’s sponsors, partners and the broader community for supporting the run.
“We set out with a goal to raise some much-needed funds for this amazing family, and to contribute close to $15,000 is more than I could have hoped for,” he said.
“The last hour of the run, with Michele joining us for that final lap, along with his family and community, was extremely special, and I’m just proud of our club and our community for coming together and throwing their support behind this young man.”
SRS CEO Marian Luehman also thanked the community for turning out throughout the 24-hour event, and for supporting the organisation’s efforts to raise funds and awareness for Michele.
“The support shown for Rob, Raschelle, Michele and their family has been nothing short of incredible,” she said.
“On behalf of the team at SRS we can’t thank everyone enough for their support, especially the Boxing Cartel and Nick who achieved something truly incredible, and special, on the weekend.
“I’m incredibly proud and grateful of what SRS, the Boxing Cartel and the community has achieved through this campaign, and we all look forward to following Michele’s journey as he takes on this incredibly tough challenge.”
Background
Michele’s case is one of only 20 known worldwide, with giant cell angioblastoma patients often presenting with a growing, painful mass, and while the tumours are often low-grade and malignant, which is the case with Michele, they can cause significant damage to the surrounding tissue.
His specialists are committed to trialing the medication for a six-month period to determine its effectiveness. They’re working with the Royal Children’s Hospital to potentially fund the first three months of treatment, with a hope to implement a cost-sharing arrangement from that point onwards.
Should the medication work as intended, Michele could be on it for anywhere between two to three years to clear up the tumour.
All funds raised will support the family during this time, helping to cover the cost of treatment.
Media Contact:
Vinnie Rodi – Marketing and Events Coordinator
Phone: 0439 364 781
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