"Our connection with Canteen goes back to 1993. There was a segment on the ABC where Andrew Denton was at a Canteen program and interviewed a group of young people. Their meaningful conversations helped us better understand the needs of young people impacted by cancer and how Canteen supports them."
A few years later, in 1999, David was in the hospital for surgery. He recalls chatting with the hospital staff about their colourful Canteen bandannas. The conversation reminded him of Canteen’s important work and how comforting it must be for young people to see those bandannas while receiving treatment in a hospital bed themselves.
And so, over the years, we donated to Canteen intermittently. Then, one day in 2021, we were approached by two enthusiastic Canteen fundraisers at our local shopping center. They shared how Canteen’s support had grown over the years and how it now encompassed all aspects of a young person’s life.
After hearing how far the organisation had come, we decided to sign up as Regular Givers—and we’ve been proud supporters ever since. At the end of 2023, we attended a wonderful event held by Canteen. It was there we met Nate, a youth ambassador, who shared his cancer experience and how Canteen had helped him throughout it. Listening to Nate share his story and the emotion behind it, we knew we’d made the right decision to support Canteen.
Like many people, we have had family and close friends impacted by cancer. In every case, the journey was made more manageable by the wrap-around, empathetic support of those around them—and by organisations like Canteen.”
Thank you, David and Pat, for sharing your story with us. Your support, along with that of every CanDo Family member, makes a world of difference as we work together to make sure no young person faces cancer alone. We are truly grateful!
You've made a significant impact on the lives of young people impacted by cancer. We would love to hear what inspired you to become a part of the CanDo Family.