Child Cancer

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

I volunteer for the Child Cancer Foundation. My family became involved with the foundation at its inception in 1978. My brother had been diagnosed with cancer a couple of years earlier when he was 6 months old.

Each year I organise people to collect in Willis Street, Wellington. I've been a bit slow to organise anything this year and am now looking for people to help me out in Willis Street during this year’s street day appeal which is on Thursday 13th March 2008 (as little as an hour could make a huge difference).

If you, or someone you know, would like to help out please pm me. If you don't live in Wellington but want to help visit www.childcancer.org.nz to find your nearest branch.

FYI: You might be surprised to learn the cancer foundation and child cancer foundation are two seperate organisations and don't share funds.

So, the money raised by the foundation, where does it go?   
A) The Child Cancer Foundation believes that no child suffering from cancer, or their family, should ever feel alone. They provide ongoing practical, emotional and financial assistance to children, and their families, whose lives have been changed forever by this life threatening disease. They also support the health professionals that treat children with cancer and invest in research into the late effects of the disease.

Each year approximately 150 young New Zealanders are diagnosed with cancer. In fact, cancer is still the most common cause of death in children apart from accidents but the good news is that around 80% of children are successfully treated at one of three specialist centres in New Zealand, and that the Foundation is here to help children and their families to deal with cancer. They do an amazing job.

Edited by The_Stuarts

Maya wrote: Good luck! I had a good friend pass away from a brain tumour when I was in high school I wish I had the time to volunteer, but I always make sure to donate when I see their collectors.

Yay, good stuff Emma and everyone else that donates. There's no point having volunteers if nobody gives anything.

They're doing the beads of courage again this year (which is so appropriate because these kids are amazing) and I've been told it's a new bead this year. I'm going to collect mine each year and try and make a supporters bracelet.

I know. It breaks my heart seeing these kids. Especially now as a parent, one day everythings ok and you have dreams and hopes for your child then the next day your world is turned upside down as your child is essentially given a death sentence. My heart goes out to any parent that's ever been through that.

These kids really are amazing though. A couple of years ago I met a wee girl called Sophie. She was bald from the chemo and had a tube sticking out of her nose but she was so beautiful, bubbly and friendly. They cope with so much and yet they don't mope about it, they're still innocent and wonderful children.

He had the cancerous cyst cut out and was left with a hole about the size of an old 50 cent piece behind his left ear. They couldn't stitch it up so mum and dad were told not to let him cry at all ever until it healed as it could break open again so until he was 18 months old he was never allowed to cry - can you imagine that, I honestly don't know how they coped. Mum does laugh that the poor wee Pete thought the world ended when they finally were told the wound had healed.

He also had chemo. At the time he was the youngest child in NZ ever to have such high levels of chemo. One of the side effects was his hair didn't start growing until he was almost in school.

At the time the doctors told my parents he wouldn't live past a year old - he is now 32!! The doctors also told them he would never learn to walk or talk, he does both, he was later than most children but he put in so much effort and proved them all wrong. He also took growth hormones all of his childhood as he didn't have any of his own.

He does have late effects. He is unsteady on his feet and walks like a drunk, his speech is slow, he has cerebral plausy and extensive frontal lobe damage.

He is very smart and a great thinker but he has trouble retaining ideas and sometimes he is very much like a child (we need to remind him to shower and brush his teeth etc) but he is also very independant. We wouldn't trade him for the world and our kids love their Uncle Pete.

I know, they are amazing woman! My mum went on to have 4 more kids too (6 in total) which makes me think she's just a glutton for punishment.

How is your brother now?

Yep, definitely crazy ladies. But also amazing inspirations aye!

It's amazing how resilient kids are!! After all those issues early on the fact that your brother lives a normal life is amazing!

I bet it has a lot to do with the fact he was treated normally and always given the confidence to try like everyone else. I'm sure that's why my brother is so independant anyway. He was never wrapped in cotton wool or told that he couldn't do something because of his disability.