http://www.canteen.org.nz
http://www.facebook.com/CanTeenNZ
CanTeen is the New Zealand organisation supporting young people aged between 13 and 24 living with cancer.
CanTeen was established to ensure that no young person in New Zealand living with cancer should ever have to feel alone.
Mission Our mission is to support, develop and empower, young people living with cancer through a national peer support network, and high quality educational and recreational programmes.
Their annual appeal is the Bandanna Challenge,Bandanna Challenge is CanTeen's major public appeal and fundraiser for the year and was held from 23 September - 9 October in 2011. It is over, but you can still buy them online.
On everyone's lips who are watching the Rugby World Cup is 22 year old Aaron Cruden. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which necessitated the removal of one of his testicles, and is said to have cost him a super 14 contract in 2009. The cancer has since gone into remission. Cruden started the match at First Five-Eighth against Australia on 16 October 2011, in the World Cup Semi Final at Eden Park, scoring a drop goal in the 20-6 victory for the All Blacks.
Most schools support them, and my school's student council sold bandannas and the children wore this colourful bandannas in different style. The classroom became a sea of coulour hues.
The most popular ones were designed by celebrities and sporting heros.
Some schools refused to support this cause arguing that bandannas are associated with gangs. This is a pity as the orginally intention was to identify with cancer victims who usually lost their hair and have to wear a bandanna over their head to cover their baldness.
This year's Canteen appeal is close to my heart. A friend's son and ex student of my school had cancer.