All the money you raise through Footy Colours Day funds Fight Cancer Foundation's education support programs, which keep kids with cancer learning while they receive and recover from treatment.
The need for education support for kids with cancer
Every year, more than 950 children and young people aged 0-19 are diagnosed with cancer in Australia.
These kids are absent from school for long periods of time as they go through cancer treatment and recovery. Many drop class levels when they return to school, become isolated from their friends and disengage from their education.
Our education programs fight to reduce the long-term impact of cancer.
Due to their weakened immune system, kids with cancer are at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 meaning they will be absent from school for longer. We need your support urgently to continue to fund our education programs, which operate in major paediatric hospitals across the country, so our education staff can keep helping kids at risk.
“As an educator for 40 years, this role has given me so much joy and positive feedback on the importance of education in the lives of sick children. I am very privileged to be able to help these amazing children and their families.” – Jan, volunteer teacher at Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick
Our programs in action
“I don’t want him, for his life, forever having to try to catch up because of what he has been through.” - Kelly, Chase's mum
“It wasn’t until people started asking me in the community ‘Will she have to repeat?’ that I thought ‘Oh I don’t think so’. Fortunately she didn’t have to, but it does happen.” - Sam, Swai's mum
“Maya was getting continuous support from Sonya every day and it was just the best support she could have.” - Sheila, Maya's mum
How do our programs help kids with cancer?
- Maintain their education and connection with their school and school friends
- Provide flexible, individual lesson plans that work around their illness and treatment
- Mix of face-to-face and online learning sessions
- Ease the transition back to 'normal' school life
- Ensure kids with cancer reach their full educational, professional and vocational potential
