Canteen News July 2021

CANTEEN NEWS July 2021

What’s inside • Hear from Molly and Harry, two of our incredible youth ambassadors • Meet the young leaders sitting on our Board of Directors • Find out about our vital peer support opportunities • Learn how we’re extending our support to parents

Message from the CEO

I would like to say thank you for your support of young Australians living with cancer. In this issue, you’ll hear from two of our inspiring young people, Molly and Harry, whose stories show just how vital it is for young people to have a space for peer connection and tailored support when cancer crashes into their lives.

I’d also like to introduce our young leaders who sit on our Board. All our young leaders are currently being, or have in the past been, supported by Canteen, so their insights are incredibly powerful and inspiring because they are speaking directly from experience. It is a unique energy when you have the people who are most affected by the decisions sitting at the table.

Canteen’s unique structure of youth leadership means we remain focused on providing the best support for young Australians impacted by cancer.

By keeping young people at the centre of all decisions across each level of the organisation, we can ensure your generous support is making the biggest impact.

Peter Orchard

Meet the Board Young leaders are at the heart of Canteen and make up the majority of Canteen’s Board of Directors holding five of the nine Board Director positions.

Joey Lynch Chair of the Board and cancer patient Over the course of my cancer journey and through my experiences with Canteen, I have developed a keen interest in helping the organisation improve the lives of young people living with cancer. I am passionate about Canteen’s unique youth leadership model and ensuring young Australians have access to both cutting edge medical treatment and world leading psychological and social support.

As Board Directors, we’ll continue to do whatever we can to ensure young people impacted by cancer have access to high-quality, relevant and evidencebased support.

As one of our kind supporters, I’d like to personally thank you for the support you’ve provided to Canteen as we continue to do everything we can to ensure that every young person that comes to us is supported and empowered.

Kathryn Woodward Who had cancer herself Having been treated for lymphoma as an adolescent, I joined the Canteen Board in 2018 because I wanted to use my skills and experiences to positively contribute to an organisation that has been invaluable for me.

For me and my family, Canteen was a source of connection and support during the most challenging period of our lives.

One of the things that makes Canteen unique is the way that youth leadership is part of our DNA. It is the reason that our young leaders help to run programs while also sitting on committees alongside researchers and doctors. At every level, young people are empowered and encouraged to contribute to the organisation as experts in their cancer experience.

Madeleine Way Whose Dad passed away from cancer

Sean Dondas Whose Mum passed away from cancer Canteen came into my life when Mum relapsed with cervical cancer in 2007. The first program I attended was the first time in my life where I truly felt like I belonged.

Canteen gave me a home away from home when I was dealing with the devastation of Mum’s diagnosis.

Growing up in a single parent household, Canteen provided the peer support, programs, and services that my family, school, and the state health system couldn’t provide.

I personally feel so committed to Canteen because I’ve experienced the difference that dedicated support can make.

My role on the Board is to ensure the young people we support and the young people we are yet to reach remain at the centre of our thinking.

What I love most about Canteen is that it champions young people.

Canteen is welcoming, supportive and encourages young people to embrace their own stories. This environment nurtures peer support which is unique to Canteen.

After my dad passed away in 2014, Canteen helped me through the hardest time in my life. Joining the Board has provided me with an amazing opportunity to give back to the organisation that supported me.

I often think about where my sister and I would be today without the life-changing support from Canteen.

I’m proud of the way the organisation was able to adapt to supporting young people online this past year and, looking forward, this shift to online engagement means it will be easier to reach young people in regional areas.

Shannae Carnell Whose Mum passed away from cancer and Dad was diagnosed with cancer I am incredibly grateful for the support I have and continue to receive from Canteen after my mum passed away in 2016. The sense of feeling like I belonged in my cancer experience and the practical strategies that I gained through Canteen have been fundamental in getting me to this point in my life.

This past year has brought many challenges, but the way Canteen was able to respond was a huge highlight for me.

Being from Western Australia, we were extremely lucky to run an in-person program in April. It was amazing to watch young people have fun, make connections over their similar cancer experiences, and make huge psychosocial leaps in the discussion groups.

It really reinvigorated my love for Canteen and I’m excited as we see in-person programs start back up again across the country.

Cancer is an extraordinary challenge for young people.

But with your support, extraordinary young leaders will emerge.

Meet Molly Canteen youth ambassador, 19 and cancer survivor “I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of blood cancer, when I was 17 years old. I had just graduated high school, got a job, bought a car and was excited for my next adventure.

But then I was told I had cancer. It felt like my life was instantly put on hold.

Over 200 needles, hundreds of litres of chemotherapy, 32 daily tablets, radiation sessions and having no hair wasn’t exactly how I pictured my gap year.

It was terrifying to be diagnosed with cancer, I didn’t know what this meant for my future or if I would even have one to look forward to. I lived day by day, minute by minute.

Coming out of treatment and into remission is, of course, exciting but can be very overwhelming. Canteen helped me connect with other patients and young people who had also been impacted by cancer. There’s only so much your friends and family can understand which is why Canteen is so important for young people like me who have gone through the most harrowing experiences possible.

Canteen feels like home.

Thanks to your support, I’m able to attend online programs and take part in local and national leadership opportunities. The online programs provide an escape from my worries and help me to think about the bigger picture.

Molly with her friends after treatment

No one at Canteen wanted to be part of ‘the cancer club’ but now we are a family. With Canteen, you always know you’re not alone and that there are other people out there who truly get it.”

Every day three young Australians are diagnosed with cancer.

Thank you for supporting them when they need it most.

Friendship and connection Did you know that, young people impacted by cancer are three to six times more likely to be at risk of mental health issues than their friends? Most of the time, it’s support from their friends and other young people in a similar situation that can make all the difference.

If you took yourself back to your teenage years and thought about the things that were big for you back then, adding cancer to the mix would be life-changing.

At Canteen we use the phrase; ‘when cancer crashes into your world’, because this is exactly what our young people tell us it feels like.

Supporting parents at Canteen

This is why peer support is especially important right now. We’ve seen huge spikes in young people reaching out for support, both from their peers and our counsellors.

In the past year, the number of parent support sessions at Canteen has increased by more than 80%. We know that helping parents to effectively support their children has lasting positive impacts on how the family functions through their cancer experience and after.

Canteen has a range of ways for young people to create connections including online peer support options and excitingly we’re getting back to offering face-to-face support too. We want to be sure both options continue to be available for young people when they need it most.

Parents often come to Canteen at a time when their family’s life is filled with uncertainty, grief and immense heartache.

“Because of our focus on peer connection and support, we know that friendship and social interaction remains critical to coping with a cancer experience. It’s a powerful connection when you are with other young people who can get it straight away – you don’t have to explain it, they just get it.”

– Ross Jacobs, National Clinical Advisor.

Cancer impacts the whole family, including their relationships, social connections, mental wellbeing and financial stability.

Specialist counsellors at Canteen work with parents to identify and create moments with their children that highlight the family’s connection, story and the resilience that they collectively hold.

With warm, empathic support and coaching, parents have reported immense feelings of relief and increased connection to their children when sharing openly what is happening for them.

Every year, another 21,000 young people aged 12-25 will find out that their parent has cancer. With your help, we can make sure their whole family receives the specialist support they need.

After six months of support from Canteen almost two thirds of young people say their mental health has improved.

We wanted to say thank you…

Our Canteen family truly enabled us to navigate through the ups and downs of the past year.

Together we were able to continue to provide safe and critical support for more young Australians living with cancer. Thank you!

“Thank you for supporting young people living with cancer. Without people like you, I wouldn’t have the confidence and strength I have today.”

Jemille, 24, who lost her sister to cancer

“My Canteen family has been there for me in the darkest and happiest times of my life and I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have that support. This is all because of you.”

Abbey, 19, who lost her dad to cancer

“Cancer is more than the physical battle. The first three years after treatment were a silent battle to adjust to life postcancer. I wanted to say thank you, because your support provides the opportunity for young people like me to have a place where they belong both during and after their cancer experience.”

Lucas, 25, cancer survivor

“I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the counselling, friendships and the life skills I’ve gained - they have changed my life forever. So thank you, your support has improved my life.”

Georgia, 21, cancer survivor

Meet Harry Canteen youth ambassador, 22, whose Mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer “When I was 12 my mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Being so young at the time, I didn’t fully understand what this meant but I knew it was really bad. Everything for our family was turned upside down in an instant. It was a hugely emotional time for the whole family, and even more so, because Mum was pregnant at the same time. This meant Mum had to consider her treatment options while always thinking of the baby.

Sadly, things didn’t turn out as planned. Ryan, our new baby brother, was born prematurely at a tiny 400 grams and only survived for two days. The grief of losing him was excruciating.

I remember some of the details clearly, but a lot of what happened around that time is such a blur. I mostly retreated into books rather than focusing on what was going on around me.

Harry and friends from Canteen

It was in 2012 when I was first introduced to Canteen through the hospital Mum was getting treatment at. This was a turning point for me, because I was surrounded by other young people who’d been through what my family was going through.

My own friends struggled with how to talk to me about everything, but at Canteen I met friends who could relate to my experience and completely understand what I was feeling.

I’m so happy to say that my mum is now cancer free. The elation we felt as a family was incredible and although the effects of cancer had been devastating, we felt like we were able to move forward with our lives.

Canteen honestly changed my life and throughout this whole experience, Canteen has provided me with the most amazing support.

Your generosity has helped me keep moving forward and because of you, I didn’t have to go through this alone. Thank you.”

Canteen can only continue to provide this vital support to young Australians living with cancer, thanks to generous people like you.

Here are some of the incredible things you’ve made possible over the past 12 months More than 18,000 counselling and support sessions were provided to help young people cope with the impact of cancer There was a 62% increase in the number of young people impacted by cancer using Canteen Connect to access digital events, peer support and professional counselling Launched the app version of Canteen Connect providing convenient access to our online support services More than 70,000 interactions between young people via Canteen Connect 46% increase in the number of young people supported by our local staff in each state and territory this year

Every year another 23,000 young people aged 12-25 will be impacted by cancer. It’s only thanks to your help we can continue to be in their corner when cancer crashes into their lives.

Thanks for reading Canteen News. We would love to hear from you!

Please email candofamily@canteen.org.au with any feedback or suggestions for what you would like to see more of in our next issue.

Thank you for changing the lives of young people living with cancer 1800 639 614

candofamily@canteen.org.au

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