Because #webelievehappyhelps, Koala Kids took centre stage with our very own Happy Day on the International Day of Happiness, Wednesday 20 March.

On this day, we spread the word about the work of Koala Kids and, especially how we help make happy help during cancer treatment.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making Happy Day such a large success and, in particular, our Happy Day sponsors, Network Ten, LaManna & Sons, Korjo Travel Products and Commonwealth Bank.

The day was filled with activities, including Happy Day tea parties enjoyed in the Children’s Cancer Centres and at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Epworth Paediatric and Adolescent Unit and The Alfred Oncology Ward.

Tea parties were also held in the paediatric units at major treatment hospitals in regional Victoria, where children and adolescents with cancer are in hospital alongside children with other illnesses.

A very special thanks to Treat Catering, Koala Kids catering partner, who provided delicious fare for all families and staff to enjoy at the hospitals within the Melbourne metropolitan region.

Images (left to right, top to bottom) 1. Koala Kids Volunteers, Daniel Lawson and Alex Cottee hosting morning tea and children’s activities at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. 2. Patrick Kerr, Koala Kids volunteer gathered six teammates from Carlton FC to visit the children and their families in the Children’s Cancer Centre, ahead of their round 1 clash the very next night against Richmond. 3. Welcoming the paediatric and adolescent unit at Epworth Richmond to the Koala Kids family. 4. Large, orange Happy Walls for people to post messages of happiness on Koala Kids post-it notes. 5. Fasting children coming out of general anaesthetics enjoyed colouring their Sugar Cloud iced cookies and Wilton’s Cookies.

Happy Day events were also held at event partners and supporters’ offices –  Commonwealth Bank, Business and Corporate, Box Hill; Nichols Crowder, Jellis Craig, Kay and Burton, Marshall White, RT Edgar, McGrath, Nelson Alexander and Hocking Stuart Brighton, Sandringham and Rosebud.

Images (From left to right, top to bottom) 1. The team of Commonwealth Bank Business and Corporate, Box Hill sharing morning tea to celebrate Koala Kids Happy Day. 2. Staff at Bendigo Health enjoyed wearing their Koala Kids t-shirts and caps. 3. Children, staff and families at GV Health (Shepparton) had a very happy morning tea. 4. Koala Kids volunteer based near Geelong, Louise Bayliss, attended the tea party at Barwon Health, provided by local caterer Sarah Roe, mother of Koala Kids volunteer Caroline. 5. Hocking Stuart Brighton enjoyed a morning tea to celebrate Happy Day. 6. Staff at Albury Wodonga Health sharing their Happy thoughts on the Koala Kids Happy Wall.

Astyn, the gorgeous face of our Koala Kids Happy Day campaign, was featured on all Network Ten digital outdoor advertising sites in addition to the seven QMS Media supersites for the week and more than 45 Happy boards sponsored by leading real estate agents including Nelson Alexander and Morley Commercial around Melbourne’s northern and south eastern suburbs.

In addition to Network Ten, through its Ten Gives charity program, producing a 30-second TVC and running it on off-peak television during the ten days leading up to Happy Day, we were also the closing feature on the 10 News First Program (click the video below to watch).

Koala Kids social media also received record high engagement over the period of the Happy Day Campaign, thanks to the help of our ambassadors and social influencers!

Thanks also to Linda Wachtel, Sean Weidermann (Dansk Photography) and Daniel Lawson (Prop and Pose Co.) for giving up their time on the day to capture all the happy moments.

And, of course, a huge thank you to our tireless Koala Kids volunteers, who worked so hard before and during this major event to help make it the happy success that is was.

Here’s to Koala Kids Happy Day 2020!