The son of Amazon activist Bruno Pereira was killed while battling a rare form of cancer

Leading artists, indigenous activists and politicians across Brazil are urging people to contribute to a fund to help the son of slain Amazon activist Bruno Pereira, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Pedro Pereira, five, the son of anthropologist Beatriz Matos and Bruno Pereira – who was ambushed and killed along with British journalist Dom Phillips in the western Amazon in June 2022 – was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma last year.

After five months of chemotherapy, he requires treatment with the drug Qarziba, which is not available in Brazil's Sus healthcare system. costs approx 88,000 reais (£14,200, $18,000) per dose.

a #SavePedro crowdfunding campaign aims to raise 2 million reais to ensure the young boy's access to the life-saving treatment.

Public figures including the Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho and Xuxa Meneghel, one of Brazil's most famous TV presenters, have shared the campaign on social media, urging people to donate and recall Pereira's tireless efforts to protect nature. Amazon and its indigenous people.

“I couldn't be there for his father, who helped protect my country… But now people can help us in this effort to ensure treatment and protect the life of (Pereira's) son,” said Beto Marubo, an Indigenous leader from the Javari Valley and good friend of the murdered activist.

“This is extremely sad, we are talking about a child of five years old, after everything that happened to his father,” added Marubo, the young boy's godfather.

“Little Pedro's father was murdered because of a failure of the Brazilian state. We cannot allow negligence to also take away Bruno's son,” said Sônia Bridi, a journalist who directed Valley of the Isolateda documentary about the murders of Pereira and Phillips.

“It is heartbreaking to think that a mother has barely had time to grieve the loss of her husband and is already dealing with an extremely serious illness in her son,” said Bridi, who has followed the family through Pedro's treatment and hopes the crowdfunding campaign could also help make the drug freely available through the Sus and other healthcare plans.

Members of Phillips' family have joined the online calls to raise awareness of the campaign, which has already attracted more than 10,000 pledges.

Three fishermen were charged last year with the murders of Pereira and Phillips and are in jail awaiting a jury trial.