Dads bond to fight cancer

Both are fathers who have faced the same grim news that their youngest son has aggressive cancer.

Sadly for Rick Parish, his son Elliot, 4, lost his battle with a brain tumour last year, dying in the arms of his parents after 15 months of treatment to try to stop the cancer that invaded his bones.

Richard Caldow and his wife Claire were devastated to learn seven months ago their son Archie, 3, has neuroblastoma, which attacks nerve cells and caused a tumour to grow in his abdomen.

The Caldows are staying positive as they prepare to head to Sydney's Westmead Hospital for Archie to have the next stage of his treatment, radiation therapy

In the meantime, Mr Caldow has teamed with Mr Parish's Telethon Adventurers to become one of his "soldiers" raising money for childhood cancer research and treatment.

He wants to give something back because of all the support he has had, including from his employer Euroz Securities, while unable to work as he cares for his family.

"I know the money raised goes towards research and equipment and is not sucked up in bureaucracy," he said.

"I have been a supporter of Telethon for years but it has taken on a completely new meaning for me this year."

Mr Parish said Telethon Adventurers were on target to raise $2 million this year, incurring only $13,800 in costs.

He pledged to set up the Archie Caldow research fellowship into neuroblastoma with some of it. He said Mr Caldow was where he was 18 months ago with his son.