AROUND THE SCHOOLS

November 27, 2018By

Koala Kids recently received generous donations from Camberwell Grammar, St Vincents de Paul Catholic Primary and Wodonga and Mentone Primary Schools totaling more than $6,500. With the exception of Camberwell Grammar, in each case a child in the school community had been treated for cancer.

Camberwell Grammar held its sixth annual Koala Kids fundraiser with more than 450 middle school students running/walking doing laps around the block on a lovely Spring day.  We were presented with a cheque for more than $4,400 making the total of more than $30,000 raised by the same year levels over the past six years.

Koala Kids was voted unanimously by the SRC at St Vincents de Paul Primary School to be the recipient of funds raised from Footy Colours Day of more than $1,000.  The school, which coincidentally has had two young students undergo cancer treatment, has been supporting Koala Kids for more than five years since year 3 teacher Connie Di Maio shared her own adolescent cancer journey with her students.

Connie recently returned to teaching, at St Anne’s Primary in Sunbury after having two baby boys over the past three years. Connie has remained a volunteer with Koala Kids, managing the Koala Kids Superhero program for children and young people attending Peter Mac for radiotherapy.

Mentone Primary School raised $500 in memory of Gracie (aka Gracie’s Shoebox program).  Gracie came up with the idea of filling shoeboxes with things for children to do while spending time in hospital.  See Gracies Shoeboxes for more information.

Wodonga Primary School raised funds on one of its casual clothes days to celebrate one of its students who had spent most of the year in Melbourne undergoing cancer treatment.

Our schools program is not just about fundraising and we relish the opportunity to go into a school and talk about the important support we provide children and young people and their families during treatment.

We went to Wesley College, Prahran campus to thank the year 4 students for the Gracies Shoeboxes they had filled with craft and other items to distract young students during treatment.  We are returning shortly to address the year fives and sixes who donated Gracies shoeboxes too.

Koala Kids Jess Bucci spoke at a year 8 leaders’ forum at MLC, Kew.  Despite early nerves Jess quickly grew comfortable and shared lots of fabulous Koala Kids stories with the students before answering dozens of questions.

Koala Kids schools program is gathering momentum, engaging primary and secondary students in volunteering opportunities and the support we provide children and young people during cancer treatment and their families.

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HAPPY WEEKENDS AT THE ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

November 27, 2018By

The opportunity of seeing an actual Melbourne Cup was exciting enough, but having a photo taken holding it was something most of us don’t even dare to dream.  For families and staff in the Children’s Cancer Centre on the first week of November, dreams became reality as most got to have their turn at the opportunity for some Monday bragging rights.  The 2013 Melbourne Cup (Fiorente) was a hit for all to hold earlier this month, kindly lent to us by Jack Bongiorno, Koala Kids ambassador and generous supporter.

Koala Kids has bought lots of happiness into the Children’s Cancer Centre at The Royal Children’s Hospital since commencing our long awaited weekend program in July.  On the first weekend of each month happy t-shirt clad Koala Kids volunteers have provided activities and served scrumptious fare for the families and staff on Kookaburra and surrounding wards

Warmest thanks to Treat Catering for delivering the most delicious picnic lunch of fresh sandwiches, macaroons, slices, muffins and fresh fruit each Saturday.  In what is an incredibly generous gesture the team from Treat makes sure nobody goes without and families and staff enjoy boxing up their lunch and taking it back to their rooms and desks, or on particularly sunny days, have been able to enjoy eating outside.

And then Sunday we have been turning the usually quiet family room into Koala Kids Pizza Parlour, topping and cooking more than 70 pizzas for the families and staff.  It has been such a joy to see otherwise listless children hatting and gloving up to produce pizzas of their choice.

Next month, with the support of Wilton’s Cookies, the children and their families will be decorating gingerbread houses.

Warm and very special thanks to Piero Sgarioto and his team at Della Rosa Fine Foods for their incredibly generous support and to Treat Catering for picking up the food from Campbellfield.

Special thanks to Rossini, Coup-on-a-Box and Complete Food Services too for donating our pizza boxes and to all of our passionate and enthusiastic volunteers who have ensured that the weekend is filled with smiles and positive energy to distract the families and staff.

Kaboom Sports has had lots of kids out of bed and jumping around, throwing soft darts at a human dartboard, hoisting spongey javelins as high as the ceiling and dancing to the sounds of the air guitars.

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SIENA’S FUNDRAISING STORY

November 27, 2018By

Siena Sands is turning 10 in a few weeks.

Siena is fundraising for Koala Kids by cutting her beautiful, long, brown brown hair to above her shoulders, at least 25 cms and possibly more. She plans to cut her hair the day before her 10th birthday.

In August Siena’s great aunt passed away from breast cancer. Siena was aware of how important her great aunt’s wig was to her as she had always loved her beautiful hair.

Siena had thought about how special it would be to donate her own hair to someone who is undergoing cancer treatment.  Siena’s mother told us that Siena has always loved her beautiful long hair and had never wanted to cut it, not even trim it. This was until she realised she could cut and donate her hair and that it could be made into a wig for someone who would love her hair as much as she does.

Siena is a very sweet fun loving girl.  She was really moved by the support Koala Kids provides children undergoing cancer treatment and the happiness Koala Kids provides the children and their families. As difficult as it had been watching her aunty with cancer, she couldn’t imagine the impact on a family when a child has cancer.

Siena had watched children at St Vincents de Paul and neighbours undergoing cancer treatment. Cutting her hair was not only going to provide someone with a wig of beautiful hair but she chose to raise money for Koala Kids too, for children with cancer.

Koala Kids thanks and congratulates Siena on such a selfless initiative and like her family and friends are incredibly proud of her. If you wish to support Siena’s generous initiative, you can do so here

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PETER MAC RADIOTHERAPY MASKS

November 27, 2018By
Children and young people undergoing radiotherapy now have the opportunity to have a lasting memory from their mask.  Peter Mac and Koala Kids volunteer artists with the support of Koala Kids to provide all of the resources, are creating the most amazing pieces of art in response to patient briefs or themes.
Joanna Weir is very excited at the prospect of working with other artists to create such special memories in response to the patients’ requests.

During daily radiotherapy treatment, it is necessary to ensure that the patient will be in exactly the same position every day. Patients getting radiation to the head and neck area may need a mask to make it easier for a patient to stay still, to help keep the head from moving so that the patient is in the exact same position for each treatment and so any markings can be drawn on the mask, not their skin.

All patient identifications and marks are removed from the mask at the end of treatment. Patients have the option to keep their mask. Koala Kids is providing the materials to transform children’s’ and young peoples’ masks into works of art to keep as special memorabilia.

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