Sandton, Johannesburg — Arav Singh (15), from Lonehill in Sandton, has spent the past five years battling a rare and aggressive brain tumour known as Craniopharyngioma. His family is now appealing for public support to help him access specialised international treatment that could improve his quality of life after years of surgeries, complications and neurological damage.
Diagnosed in April 2021 with a tumour measuring 13cm — one of the largest cases doctors in South Africa had encountered — Arav’s condition has led to multiple surgeries, complications and a dramatic decline in his quality of life.
A crowdfunding campaign has now been launched to raise R1 million to help the family pursue specialised treatment options overseas that are currently not available locally.
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Arav’s symptoms first appeared years earlier when he experienced frequent unexplained vomiting, initially believed to be related to gastric reflux.
But in April 2021, scans at Fourways Hospital revealed the true cause, a massive craniopharyngioma pressing against critical areas of his brain.
The tumour had already caused severe damage.
It destroyed three of the four optic nerves in his optic chiasm, leaving Arav blind in his right eye and with only partial peripheral vision in his left.
Just weeks after undergoing a craniotomy at Netcare Unitas Hospital, Arav suffered an ischemic stroke, beginning a long and difficult recovery journey involving physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.
Years of Surgeries and Complications
Over the next several years, Arav endured a complex medical journey involving multiple procedures and treatments.
He underwent 30 rounds of radiation therapy, additional brain surgeries and procedures to manage complications including hydrocephalus, a dangerous buildup of fluid in the brain.
Doctors implanted devices including an Ommaya reservoir and later a VP shunt to help manage the pressure and fluid buildup.
Along the way, Arav was also diagnosed with epilepsy.
Despite periods of stability, the tumour has continued to return and grow.
A January 2026 MRI revealed further tumour growth, with the cystic component measuring 6cm and the solid component reaching 3.2cm. Doctors warned that smaller “seed-like” tumours could continue developing.
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