Give the gift of support this holiday season
For only $5 you can gift one of our classic bandannas to a rangatahi going through treatment or to someone in their whānau impacted by cancer.
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Only 26 days left to go!
Your generosity can make a difference
This holiday season, we’d like to ask for your help, one more time. Over 4,200 rangatahi are impacted by cancer every year in Aotearoa, and the holiday season can be pretty tough. Some of them are undergoing treatments, while others don’t get to spend Christmas with their siblings, or whānau.
Donate to Canteen
Every day a rangatahi will have a sibling diagnosed with cancer. Your donation will go directly towards helping over 750 rangatahi yearly who are impacted by cancer.
Gift a bandanna
Every two days, a rangatahi is diagnosed with cancer in Aotearoa. By gifting a bandanna to a rangatahi, you're standing by them in their journey with cancer.
Gifts for your staff
Finding meaningful gifts for staff is hard during the holidays. Why not purchase a bandanna or make a donation this year? Purchase bandannas here or contact us.
Impact made to rangatahi by your support
Mikyla
Mikyla was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia was she was 21 years old. She underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant as part of her treatment, suffering many side-effects during a very isolating time.
“When I was told I had cancer, I was shocked, but I was okay. People often ask me how I felt when I was diagnosed, expecting me to have been so upset and emotional but, in all honesty, my first thought was ‘Okay I can beat this, it’ll be hard, but I have no other choice’. I went into full survival mode.”
Going through cancer and its treatments can be an overwhelming, emotional rollercoaster. It’s scary, confronting, and can make you feel alone at even the best of time let along going through it all during COVID-19.
Mikyla recalls one of the most confronting times during her treatment, “during my second round of chemo, I got neutropenic sepsis and pneumonia and was extremely sick. I didn’t leave the hospital for five weeks and it took everything in me to not give up. I spent a long time getting stronger, only to do another round of chemo soon afterwards. I was scared to think about the future; I was just trying to survive.”
Through the existence of Canteen Mikyla was able to find a support system and connect with other rangatahi who were experiencing the same thing as her.
“I reached out to Canteen because there weren’t many other patients my age on the ward. I felt like nobody understood what I was going through, and as much as my friends and family were an amazing support system, I didn’t want to burden them.”
This connection and support are only available because of people like you. People who know how important a support system is in the fight with cancer, and who donate to Canteen.
This holiday season we’re encouraging people to give a little extra this year and purchase one of our amazing bandannas as a gift for a rangatahi impacted by cancer. This $5 act shows them the power of the community behind them in their experience with cancer.
“Canteen was the place where I could get to know others on the same journey and receive amazing support from the Youth Workers. They know how to talk to cancer patients, and they understand, which is hard to find elsewhere! “
Our bandannas make excellent stocking stuffers, eco-friendly wrapping paper, and even great feel-good gifts for staff!
