Reflections on creating the First Ever "ACT Children's Oncology Services Directory" Greg Zwajgenber
FIRST EVER "ACT CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY SERVICES DIRECTORY" Again reflecting back over 40-years, and some 50+ significant Philanthropic Projects, as I take the time to honour legendary Christian people and outcomes, one personal project close to Teija's heart was the creation of the very first oncology guide for parents of kids with cancer. At the time parents simply had nothing to work with, of a specific comprehensive oncology nature, to help them navigate a complex new world they would now be immersed in, and far be it by choice. Navigating the love your child and their journey through a pervasive and soul destroying disease. Back in the day, the major fundraiser in honour of Kids with Cancer was known as "Crop A Cop", and Police Officers across the Country shaved their heads for the children, and it more recently turned into the "World's Greatest Shave". Kate was at the Southern Cross Club giving a speech when the subject of her supporting the "Crop A Cop" initiative came up, someone in the audience said "what would it take for you to shave your head", unthinkingly Kate said $10,000 and immediately the CEO of the Southern Cross club put up $5000. We knew each other well then, and when I heard about it, I rang Kate's PA and said she's gone, so we put up the other $5000 and it was on. Gianni Ciacca, who was/is a close personal friend and was Kate's hairdresser was asked to do the cut, and it was done on a Saturday morning with Radio 2CC covering the event Live. At the time we put up another $10,000 in a "$Dollar for $Dollar" match to the public to encourage them to donate towards the shave and we raised an unbelievable $38,000 that morning towards children with cancer for equipment at Canberra Hospital in Woden, and the money Teija and I had pledged went into the creation of the services directory. So in 1998 Teija sat on the panel that devised and produced a comprehensive set of services available to parents, this was way before social media, iPhones and not long after the Internet came into being and the booklet still exists in electronic form, as back then parents simply had nothing to help them navigate the pain of what was happening to their child. Teija then did her Post Graduate Studies in Oncology and devoted her life to being an Oncology Nurse, when she had overcome her physical injures from a severe car accident where she was told she would never work again, and compounded with chronic fatigue. An awesome heart and devout Christian, and a living reminder of Faith at work. As September every year passes, we all need to raise public awareness and remember every child with Cancer. Having recently shared the moving Story of Kilian, that brought me to tears when I originally viewed it in German, and has now been viewed across the World in over 600,000 views when I cut English text to it... https://youtu.be/MZ85aFEivG0 #kidswithcancer #children ##oncology #cancer #survivors #philanthropy #love #compassion
FIRST EVER "ACT CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY SERVICES DIRECTORY" Again reflecting back over 40-years, and some 50+ significant Philanthropic Projects, as I take the time to honour legendary Christian people and outcomes, one personal project close to Teija's heart was the creation of the very first oncology guide for parents of kids with cancer. At the time parents simply had nothing to work with, of a specific comprehensive oncology nature, to help them navigate a complex new world they would now be immersed in, and far be it by choice. Navigating the love your child and their journey through a pervasive and soul destroying disease. Back in the day, the major fundraiser in honour of Kids with Cancer was known as "Crop A Cop", and Police Officers across the Country shaved their heads for the children, and it more recently turned into the "World's Greatest Shave". Kate was at the Southern Cross Club giving a speech when the subject of her supporting the "Crop A Cop" initiative came up, someone in the audience said "what would it take for you to shave your head", unthinkingly Kate said $10,000 and immediately the CEO of the Southern Cross club put up $5000. We knew each other well then, and when I heard about it, I rang Kate's PA and said she's gone, so we put up the other $5000 and it was on. Gianni Ciacca, who was/is a close personal friend and was Kate's hairdresser was asked to do the cut, and it was done on a Saturday morning with Radio 2CC covering the event Live. At the time we put up another $10,000 in a "$Dollar for $Dollar" match to the public to encourage them to donate towards the shave and we raised an unbelievable $38,000 that morning towards children with cancer for equipment at Canberra Hospital in Woden, and the money Teija and I had pledged went into the creation of the services directory. So in 1998 Teija sat on the panel that devised and produced a comprehensive set of services available to parents, this was way before social media, iPhones and not long after the Internet came into being and the booklet still exists in electronic form, as back then parents simply had nothing to help them navigate the pain of what was happening to their child. Teija then did her Post Graduate Studies in Oncology and devoted her life to being an Oncology Nurse, when she had overcome her physical injures from a severe car accident where she was told she would never work again, and compounded with chronic fatigue. An awesome heart and devout Christian, and a living reminder of Faith at work. As September every year passes, we all need to raise public awareness and remember every child with Cancer. Having recently shared the moving Story of Kilian, that brought me to tears when I originally viewed it in German, and has now been viewed across the World in over 600,000 views when I cut English text to it... https://youtu.be/MZ85aFEivG0 #kidswithcancer #children ##oncology #cancer #survivors #philanthropy #love #compassion