Good things happen here

Kidz & Teenz

It is hard enough managing cancer on an adult level of understanding. Watching a child or teenager experience it is even more heartbreakingly unbearable.

While we have support groups for our adult men and women, this format is not suitable for our younger cancer warriors.

Typically it can be expected that treatments can range from 3 months to 3 years, with the most intensive phase being the first few months. This is a lot of time spent in hospitals, chemo rooms, and doctors offices, with tests, needles, scans, and conversation around a serious subject matter.

Distraction could be considered a complementary therapy! It has been researched that distracting a person’s mind from fear, anxiety and pain actually aids in the healing process, and has been medically proven to have therapeutic benefits.

The Cancer Connection want to be the hope-bringers and the dream-weavers – harnessing the magical power of distraction!

Our healing toolkits for Kidz & Teenz include elements of
* art therapy * music therapy * dance therapy * relaxation therapy
* imagery, reading & story-telling

Joy of Books

The Cancer Connection has partnered with The Joy of Books, a charitable organisation based in East London.

This collaboration includes regular story-telling sessions & immersive multi-language theatre hosted in the pediatric oncology ward at Frere Hospital.

The Joy of Books also helps facilitate the donation of books, which will be gifted in our care bags and also added to our Little Library of Love.

Little Library of Love

The Cancer Connection has donated a bookshelf to the pediatric oncology ward, filled with books & toys for the children to read & share.* We call upon the kind donations of items from the public to help us keep this bookshelf stocked * We are using imagination as an act of escapism, and encourage care-free moments lost in playtime.

Care Packages

The Cancer Connection puts together care packages brimming with items to bring about joy, hope and, of course, distraction. Each addition to the bag has been carefully chosen to suit a child, or a teenager, and their specific requirements needed for their journey.

Inspired and influenced by…

Sarah Kruger
10/02/2004 – 29/09/2022

Sarah was radiant, kind and FULL of life! Her love of books and story-telling has inspired us with our theatrical and reading-related direction for supporting children with cancer.

Charitable to her core – we know that Sarah would have stepped up to offer her support to The Cancer Connection. She was involved with many great causes, including being a dedicated volunteer for CHOC, a member of the East London Port Rex Lions Club and fundraised for numerous animal welfare organisations. Her ‘live life to the max’ attitude inspired all who knew her, and in turn has inspired the creation of the #livelikeSarah movement.

Jarred William Nel
09/10/2002 – 13/04/2021

Jarred was a beautiful, fun loving boy who had endless energy for life, with his love for fishing and motorbikes as his ultimate passion. He was diagnosed with renal carcinoma at 14 years of age, which started as a back pain and spread aggressively, and rapidly, in a short space of time. Jarred fought bravely in the 44 days of his battle, with his parents by his side, and his Christian faith giving him strength. He has left a space in the hearts of those who love him. While nothing can replace the loss of a child, Shannon, his mom, had beautiful teddy bears made out of Jarred’s favourite t-shirts which comfort her each night. This inspired our very own fundraising element – the JJ Bear which is available for purchase on our online SHOP.

We honour Jarred’s memory by promoting childhood & teenage cancer awareness – know the early warning signs and visit your peadiatrician or doctor for regular check-ups.

Roxy Ewing
Diagnosed at 10 years old in 2022

Roxy taught us a valuable lesson when she was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at 10 years old in 2022. We learnt that it is so appreciated, as an act of support, when a school can get behind one of their own pupil’s cancer battles. This planted a seed for The Cancer Connection to create HUGS-in-a-BOX. Our first version of this concept helped us mobilise Roxy’s school and classmates into gifting this creative, art-loving child with special letters, drawings, and presents chosen to suit her best.

HUGS-in-a-BOX

We are BIG on unique ideas for our little people. The Cancer Connection have created a concept to take the words ‘support’ & ‘community’ to the next level.

Working with schools, we facilitate the bridge between the announcement of a pupil’s cancer diagnosis to their friends & peers, and the space amongst the awkwardness of not knowing how to handle this news, or how to best support this little cancer warrior. We co-ordinate an action plan in the form of our HUGS-in-a-BOX concept. This involves a printed guide for teachers and pupils featuring topics like ‘how to speak to someone who has been diagnosed with cancer’ and ‘suggested gift ideas’, a pack of well wishes for the pupils to draw & write on, and a keep-sake journal for the little warrior to document their journey.