But one of the most powerful ways you can help is to spend your hard-earned bucks on bears. It’s not only an investment in a child’s happiness in the short-term, but over the long term The Kids’ Cancer Project will ensure no child dies of this insidious disease.
The Kids’ Cancer Project Bear Program started in 2009 and not only offers the opportunity to buy luxuriously soft, plush teddy bears for yourself or a loved one but also the satisfaction of donating them anonymously to children in hospitals all around Australia.
And whether it’s a hospital donation or a purchase for you, The Kids’ Cancer Project Bear Program packs a powerful double whammy for childhood cancer research.
That’s because whichever way you choose to check out of The Kids’ Cancer Project shop, you are helping to fund vital scientific research that will find better treatments and ultimately cures for many different types of childhood cancer. So what’s it going to be?
A “home purchase” is how The Kids’ Cancer Project describes the bears you buy for a friend, family member or yourself. These bears are individually boxed and despatched direct to the address you provide.
“I love The Kids’ Cancer Project Bear Program!” says David from Mermaid Waters, Qld. “I was buying a teddy bear for a family member who is an avid collector and saw there was also an option to donate a bear to a sick child in hospital. I really like that through the Bear Program I’m helping The Kids’ Cancer Project continue to fund medical research.”
When you choose to donate The Kids’ Cancer Project teddy bears anonymously to children in hospital, this is described as a “hospital donation”.
You can select from the drop-down menu to donate to any one of 70 participating hospitals around Australia. Or, click “where needed most” to help one of the smaller regional hospitals replenish their stock.
Ariella Lew, experienced paediatric nurse and Founder and Director of Kids on Track Consultancy says the comforting nature of cuddling a teddy bear cannot be overstated and for many children provides sensory stimulation often missing in hospital in a sterile environment.
“The feeling of a teddy bear who becomes a friend replacement (like a pet or friend from the outside world) is something I have witnessed many times and is lovely to see,” says Ariella. “I have seen many a health professional talk to children through their teddy bears!”
Ariella says that using a teddy as a preparation toy or to mark a milestone procedure is a wonderful way to allow children to articulate their thoughts, feelings and fears through play – a process they can continue when they get to keep the teddy.
“I will never forget the first time I watched a play therapist give a child a teddy bear to demonstrate the procedure that they were going to have done,” she says. “The child watched in wonder and couldn’t believe it when they were given the bear to keep.”
You can buy a bear or donate a furry friend to a hospital of your choice, or 'where it's most needed' here.
You can donate a bear to comfort a child in hospital undergoing treatment, by clicking the button below.
