Kate Langbroek gives emotional update on son’s cancer journey

Kate Langbroek got personal on-air yesterday as she shared a moving update in a battle her family has been privately waging for years.

Kate Langbroek has given listeners an emotional new update on her eldest son Lewis’ cancer journey.

Mum-of-four Langbroek spoke on yesterday’s episode of KIIS Network’s 3pm Pick Up, giving fans an update on Lewis, who was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was six years old and endured four years of “terrible” treatment for the illness. But she was full of praise for the medical care he received while he was sick.

“We went through all that treatment and rarely paid for anything – that is the magnificence of the country we live in, and the magnificence of taxpayers,” she said.

Now 18, for the past eight years Lewis has returned with his mum to the “amazing” Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne for regular check-ups to monitor his health.

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Kate Langbroek and her son Lewis. Picture: Karon Photography

His most recent annual check-up came on Monday – a series of medical appointments within the hospital to monitor his health. Langbroek said that for the first time, she was sent out of the room at multiple moments to give him some privacy as he disrobed.

“It was so strange! But it’s great because, it means that he’s a grown-up,” she told co-host Monty Dimond.

“Anyway, then they told us, ‘This is the last time we’ll be seeing you at this hospital, because Lewis is transitioning to an adult hospital.’ I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, there were so many times where we thought this day may not come.’ You’re confronted with what the course of his illness looked like, and there were times when we thought, ‘I don’t see how we can make it through this.’

“And there we were – being DISMISSED,” she said with a laugh, “by the beautiful doctors and being sent on our way.”

Langbroek said the annual check-ups had often been surprisingly emotional, as they bumped into hospital workers who had cared for Lewis when he was very ill.

Kate Langbroek got personal on the latest episode of KIIS FM’s 3pm Pick Up. Picture: Rebecca Michael.

She revealed that at last year’s check-up, a nurse approached them in the cafe and said that she recognised him from his initial hospital stay.

“She said, ‘I looked after you when you were little and you were really sick. We never wanted to tell you this at the time, but we were so worried about you. We worried you might not make it.’ She had tears in her eyes, I had tears in my eyes – and Lewis is standing there just like a big doofus,” she said.

Langbroek said it made her realise the importance of bringing this “good news story” back to the hospital, for patients and nurses to see the success of Lewis’ treatment.

“I just love him, I love him,” she said.

Langbroek had previously opened up about Lewis’ cancer battle in 2020, revealing he had “almost died”.

“Today is an important day. It is my eldest son’s birthday; 17, which seems like a miracle because in 2009, when he was six, Lewis nearly died,” she wrote on Instagram.

“He had leukaemia and it was a gruelling, terrible, frightening and painful three-and-a-half years before he returned to health. Today he is tall and strong and healthy and ALIVE and we give thanks; to doctors and nurses and friends – and to those who came before us.”