Events

2020 #WeBelieveHappyHelps Cocktail Party

February 28, 2020By

Koala Kids Foundation’s annual cocktail party at ULR Jaguar Land Rover celebrated the contribution of volunteers, program partners, hospital colleagues, major donors, student ambassadors, corporate partners and friends with more than 170 people in attendance. The event marks the International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day (15 February) each year and draws a cross section of supporters who share Koala Kids vision, to touch every child and young person undergoing cancer treatment in Victoria.

Koala Kids program director, Mandy Mandie, announced the 2019 volunteers of the year – joint recipients, Vanessa Cohen and Liz Anderson.

Both volunteers joined Koala Kids when it was a group of six people auspiced by Koala Foundation, and then Children’s Cancer Foundation. When the Foundation was formed in 2015, Vanessa and Liz became members of Board advisory group, co-managed the young adults’ committees’ Orange Gala event and volunteer often on weekdays, while working full time executive positions.

Mandy told the guests, ”They are both driven, passionate, professional and 100% committed to our cause. Neither Ness nor Liz suffer fools easily and they always speak their mind.    They believe happy helps, are wonderful volunteers and we are particularly proud to present them with this coveted award.”

Mandy acknowledged the long standing support of Foundation partner Korjo for providing our head office and warehouse facilities in Hawthorn, and expressed warms thanks to ULR Jaguar Land Rover for hosting the event in its fabulous spacious Malvern showroom, Treat Catering for delicious sandwiches and ham, Calendar Cheese Co, Frog Hollow Estate, Slide Productions, Tiger Corp, Purpose Group and the hard working events committee who bought the event together with the help of Koala Kids administrative assistant Jess Bucci.

See photos taken by Fiona Byrne, Herald Sun and Dan Lawson, Prop & Pose Co. HERE.

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Events

An Unforgettable 2019 Orange Gala

September 7, 2019By

This year’s Orange Gala was record-breaking, with over $115,000 raised to help us achieve our vision of touching every child and young person during cancer treatment. This year’s event sold out in 4 days, demonstrating that more and more young adults support the work of the Koala Kids Foundation.

Koala Kids Young Adults Committee was proud to again welcome fourth-time presenting partner Kay & Burton back and as always, the Kay & Burton auction was highly anticipated. When auctioneer, Sam Wilkinson took to the stage, bids started flying in and another record was broken with our highest total raised from the auction to date. We believe this is a testament  to our generous event supporters, who donated an irresistible range of ‘money can’t buy’ auction items, including supporting partner, Zagame Ferrari and our new event partners, QMS Media.

MCs Bryce Ives (Artistic Director of Theatre Works) and Millie Inman (cancer survivor and Koala Kids volunteer) comfortably took control of a very enthusiastic and happy audience ready to enjoy this very special event in support of Koala Kids.

We, again saw the return of many of our volunteers to the Orange Gala and welcomed new volunteers including nurses from the Alfred Hospital, where Koala Kids is working to develop a model of care for 18-25 year olds being treated in adult oncology wards. In true Koala Kids style, our volunteers were happy and enjoyed themselves as much as the guests.

Koala Kids would like to extend our warmest thanks to our guest speaker and comedian, Michael Shafar for sharing his personal cancer story with a humorous twist.  Michael was an inspiration to all those in the room showing us how adversity can sometimes lead to wonderful things.

Later in the night, guests were treated to the vocal stylings of Ben Hazlewood who had everyone up off their seats singing and dancing to a cover of a crowd favourite, Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Koala Kids Foundation thanks Nick Mandie and Kate Clements, co-chairs, the entire young adults committee and so many volunteers whose contribution led to the best Orange Gala yet.

We also acknowledge the very generous organisations that provided raffle and auction items, including Liberty Belle Skin Centre, yet again, for their incredibly generous hampers – one for each of the 26 tables, filled with $680 worth of beauty products and treatments. Our thanks also to Grown Alchemist for the guest and volunteer gifts and to everyone who had a hand in bringing another successful Orange Gala to fruition.

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Events

2019 #WeBelieveHappyHelps Lunch

June 30, 2019By

Despite the bleak, cold and rainy day guests turned out in their finery to Koala Kids annual lunch last Thursday.

The contrast of a crackling, hot fire and the chilled Piper Heidsieck Champagne was the perfect setting for more than 170 ladies who were looking forward to another great Koala Kids event.  And they weren’t disappointed. Everyone, in particular, those who were attending a Koala Kids lunch for the first time, were in awe of the magnificent setting, feeling the happy atmosphere and looking forward raise money for children and young people with cancer.

Surprise guest, Josh Piterman, received a standing ovation after his first song, Music of the Night and there were tears after his second, everyone’s favorite, Nessun Dorma. Josh recently completed the Australian tour of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical and is performing a solo show at The Alex, St Kilda on 22 June.

Dr. Annie Moulden OAM, guest speaker captivated the room with her medical knowledge and enthusiastic passion for Koala Kids explaining what a family must endure given their child’s cancer diagnosis.  She explained how valuable, joyful and impactful Koala Kids items like pill swallowing kits, lollipops, heat packs, and Happy Kits filled with practical items for the hospital are for the families during treatment.

“Everyone arrived in the spirit of the day and you could feel the warmth and happiness in the dining room.  We were overwhelmed by our guests’ generosity and believe everyone left with an even better understanding of  the importance of the support we provide families traveling the hellish paediatric and adolescent cancer journey and the positive impact Koala Kids items and activities have on children and young people,” said Mandy Mandie, program director, Koala Kids Foundation.

The combination of ticket sales, donations, raffle tickets and a record number of pledges raised more than $57,000.

Guests and volunteers each took home a bag of luxury skin care products donated by Liberty Belle and we thank Andrea Moss for her generous support of Koala Kids again.

Koala Kids warmly thanks our incredibly generous and hospitable host Quat Quatta, Liberty Belle Skin Centre, Purpose Entertainment Group, Frog Hollow, All Saints Wines, Taprobane Tea Company,  and Treat Catering for the fabulous lunch for our event volunteers plus our raffle donors Caroline J Silk, Julian Ronchi Garden Design, Harrolds, Provincial Home Living, Donovans St Kilda, Sonos Australia, GlobeWest, Christine Accessories, Marble Basics, Masci Spa, Safari Living, Spencer & Co, White Story and Oroton.

Special thanks too to our enthusiastic and committed events committee and our event volunteers for giving up their day to help ensure the success of the 2019 We Believe Happy Helps lunch.

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Events

Happy Day 2019

March 21, 2019By

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!

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Events

2019 #WeBelieveHappyHelps Cocktail Party

February 24, 2019By

Koala Kids launched into 2019 recently announcing Ali Dvorscek, 24-year-old biomedicine and science graduate as the 2018 Koala Kids volunteer of the year.

In front of more than 150 program partners, sponsors, major donors, hospital staff and volunteers, the fifth tertiary student to win the coveted award Ali said she was humbled to have had the opportunity to do something so special for children and young people and their families during cancer treatment, for nearly four years.

Ali was recognized for her enthusiastic and passionate commitment to leading Koala Kids volunteers that visit families in the Children’s Cancer Centre at The Royal Children’s Hospital most Mondays.

The award was announced at the annual We Believe Happy Helps cocktail party by 2017 volunteer of the year, Jess Bucci. The annual event was held at ULR Landrover Malvern for the third consecutive year.

Guest speaker, Sarah Harms, a paediatric nurse of more than 37 years, explained different ways Koala Kids positively impacts children and their families, and staff, during cancer treatment.
“I don’t know what we did before Koala Kids – the small things like superhero costume and lucky dips mean that children actually look forward to returning to the hospital for treatment each day!”

Program Director, Mandy Mandie thanked Foundation partner Korjo Travel Goods as well as Jack Bongiorno, TIG Freight, Kay & Burton, Quat Quatta, Webmentum, Carman’s Kitchen, Starburst Sucks and others for their ongoing commitment to Koala Kids.

“The combined support of so many generous organisations enables us to continue to strive to achieve our vision – to touch every child and young person during cancer treatment in Victoria.”

Mandy thanked the more than 200 volunteers from all walks of life who make up Koala Kids.  From students like Abigail Brown, 14-year-old Lauriston student, who herself underwent treatment for Leukaemia as a little girl, to members of the regular Monday team which includes one octogenarian and another about to become one!

“We all share a similar passion and commitment to our mission to deliver happiness to the children and their families, and equally important, to the staff who work tirelessly to care for them.”

Mandy spoke about some of the exciting new programs and activities undertaken by Koala Kids over the past 12 months.

“One of the highlights has been being able to decorate and paint the masks worn by children having radiation on their heads and thoracic.  This makes the already special  Koala Kids Superhero program at Peter Mac even more enjoyed.”   There were images of five such masks on display.

The Foundation also launched Koala Kids Happy Day with this year’s face of the campaign, Astyn (pictured below) taking the microphone.

In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, which recognised happiness as a fundamental human goal. It’s a global celebration, adopted by all UN member states, people from 160 countries and supported by a partnership of like-minded organisations.

Mandy explained that “Because #webelievehappyhelps, Koala Kids is taking centre stage on Wednesday 20 March 2019, the International Day of Happiness.

Find out more about how your family, school or business can get involved in Koala Kids Happy Day here

Guests enjoyed delicious food donated by Treat Catering & Events and Calendar Cheese Company with beverages from Frog Hollow Estate and Picco Aperitivo.

Special thanks to ULR Jaguar Land Rover Malvern, Purpose Group, Slide Productions, The Design Depot, Tiger Corp, HeroKidz, Di Simmons Linen Hire, Network TEN and photographers Prop and Pose Co, Dansk Photography and Conor Herbert.

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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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