The need for critical support for children with cancer and their whānau continues to grow, with the number of families under the care of Child Cancer Foundation Family Support Coordinators increasing by more than 20 percent compared to this time last year.
As ongoing diagnoses and long treatment journeys continue across Aotearoa, the Foundation is urging Kiwis to show their support by donating to this year’s nationwide Street Appeal on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th March.
Chief Executive Monica Briggs says even the smallest donation can make a meaningful difference for tamariki with cancer and their families.
“Every week in Aotearoa, four families receive the devastating news that their child has cancer. That moment is mentally overwhelming, and the journey ahead most often involves years of treatment and a lifetime of long-term effects,” says Briggs.
“Even the smallest donation can have a big impact. A donation as small as the price of a coffee can become a coffee in the hand of a stressed parent, handed to them by one of our Family Support Coordinators, offering both a hot drink and an understanding ear. A small moment of connection like that can turn a terrible day around when families need it most.”
One of the families supported by Child Cancer Foundation is toddler Holly and her whānau from Upper Hutt.
What initially seemed like a minor fall from the deck quickly escalated into something far more serious, as Holly became increasingly unwell over the following weeks.
“She started kind of not really eating very well, and then just sitting on the couch, not her usual bubbly, happy self. I remember me and Nathan being like, ‘something’s not right’,” says Holly’s mum, Jenna.
After multiple visits to the doctor, blood tests revealed some warning signs. Holly was urgently flown to the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Centre in Christchurch, where she was diagnosed with had High-Risk B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, and was started on treatment right away.
“The first two weeks were horrific,” says Jenna. “How do you explain to a not-even-two-year-old that she’s about to have multiple rounds of chemo?”
Holly’s treatment required her parents to divide their time between hospital in Christchurch and caring for her sibling Finn back home in Upper Hutt – a situation many families facing childhood cancer know all too well.
Child Cancer Foundation supported the family with flights so Holly’s dad and brother could visit on weekends, as well as emotional support through their Family Support Coordinator, Tania.
“We were just trying to figure out how to survive at that point,” says Jenna. “Just knowing there’s someone there to talk to who understands what you’re going through made such a difference. They’re there in the worst time of your life and provide amazing support – not just practical things like food or petrol, but emotional support too. You really can’t put a price on it.”
Briggs says the impact of childhood cancer extends well beyond the child themselves.
“Research shows siblings can be just as traumatised by a childhood cancer journey as the child undergoing treatment. That’s why we run programmes like SuperSIBS – to provide siblings with tools to build resilience and stay connected through fun, supportive activities.”
Child Cancer Foundation must raise at least $6.5 million each year to continue providing vital emotional, financial and practical support to families, and receives no direct government funding.
Hundreds of volunteers will take to the streets during March’s Street Appeal to help ensure no family faces childhood cancer alone.
The Foundation is calling for more generous Kiwis to donate two hours of their time across Aotearoa, and need help filling some key sites below:
- · Auckland: Auckland CBD, Birkenhead, Mt Albert, Pukekohe, Takapuna, Waiuku, and Westgate
- · Bay of Plenty: Brookefield, Fraser Cover, Taupō, and Waihi
- · Kaikoura
- · Canterbury: Akaroa, Rangiora, Ferrymead/Woolston, Rolleston, Darfield and West Melton
- · Manawatu: Fielding, Whanganui, and Palmerston North
- · Northland: Kerikeri and Whangārei
- · Southland: Arrowtown, Milton, Oamaru, Queenstown and Wanaka
- · New Plymouth
- · Waikato: Te Kuiti
- · Wellington: Kapiti Coast and Upper Hutt
To donate or sign up as a volunteer, visit childcancer.org.nz.
About Child Cancer Foundation
Child Cancer Foundation provides essential support to Kiwi children diagnosed with cancer and their families. Every week in Aotearoa, four families receive the devastating news that their child has cancer. The Foundation is there to ensure these families never face their journey alone, offering tailored emotional, financial, and practical assistance to meet their unique needs.
As an independent charity, Child Cancer Foundation does not receive direct government funding and relies on the generosity of New Zealanders to continue delivering its vital services. With a nationwide network of Family Support Coordinators, the Foundation provides one-on-one guidance, connection, and care from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
To learn more or donate, visit childcancer.org.nz.
A “thank you” to Sarah Jesson and the Child Cancer Foundation for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.
02/03/26
The Upper Hutt Connection 