Meet our members LAchlan & mary jo Hear From our ceo & presidentfind out about what happens on a program

Plus more!

wHat’sinside

Mary Jo, 15 years old, CanTeen Patient and Sibling Member

THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING WITH CANCER

NEWS

Thank you for your generosity, you’ve helped make 2013 a fantastic year.

Your support has enabled us to welcome 619 new young people, run 217 programs, distribute 9,650 information booklets and also provide 1,237 counselling sessions. This all

made such a difference to the lives of young people affected by cancer.

CanTeen has been proudly supporting young people living with cancer for 28 years. From the earliest days which saw 6 young patients brought together by health professionals to support each other through their cancer experience to now being the largest and only Australian organisation to support all young people living with the impact of cancer, whether they be patients, former patients, siblings, offspring or bereaved. And this progress was only made possible because of your kind ongoing support.

Whilst peer support will always be central to CanTeen, we are now providing a range of specialist services as well. The Youth Cancer Services aim to treat and support every young person diagnosed with cancer throughout Australia. Doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers make up multidisciplinary teams across 17 hospitals. We are also developing a plan to improve monitoring of health outcomes for all young patients and a national research agenda in order to meet the special and complex needs for this age group.

Our Divisions offer tailored support to young people living with cancer who come into contact with CanTeen. Every young person has their unique needs carefully assessed by a social worker who then develops a support plan with them and makes sure they get the right assistance to deal with the many challenges of cancer. This might include utilising the recently expanded CanTeen Counselling Service or attending a CanTeen program.

Online, we are establishing a highly engaging support platform off the back of our Now What website, which will enable young people living with cancer to access counselling and other support 7 days a week regardless of where they live in Australia. They will also be able to engage with other young people dealing with similar struggles through online group programs, forums and blogs. The platform will be launched this year.

CanTeen understands that cancer affects everything which is why we have evolved to provide so much more to help young people deal with the challenges. Our young people insist on this and with your support we are totally committed to making sure we are the very best we can be at providing the right mix of support, fun and hope.

Thank you so much for your generous support. Our vital work helping young people living with cancer would not be possible without your ongoing donations.

Peter Orchard, CEO, CanTeen

Happy New Year!

First of all, I’d like to say a massive THANK YOU for your amazing continued support that helped us get to where we are now. 2013 was a big year for us and it wouldn’t be possible without you!

As National President, I have the opportunity to help shape what the future of CanTeen looks like and bring a young person’s perspective to the Board of Directors. Having young people providing advice at all levels of CanTeen helps to ensure that the organisation is constantly evolving to better support young people living with cancer.

Thanks to you, we had a fantastic year at CanTeen and I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved in so many areas. Personally, I was particularly pleased to see the CanTeen Counselling Service expand in 2013, helping more young people face the challenge of cancer by offering more counselling sessions in more locations.

I was 15 years old when my Mum died of lung cancer and CanTeen didn’t have an established counselling service back then. When the pilot program started in 2010, it provided me an opportunity to express my feelings and understand how cancer affects my whole life. With the support of the counselling service and the rest of CanTeen, I have been able to achieve so much, including my current position as National President.

Looking ahead, I’m also excited about the launch of our online mental health platform this year. It is an important way to help young people now and into the future. It’ll bring the best parts of CanTeen – peer support and professional support – together in one online space. And this will only be possible with your generous ongoing support.

Thank you for helping CanTeen continue to be a unique and inspiring place for young Australians living with cancer like me.

Ali, 22 years old, Bereaved Offspring Member and CanTeen National President

fROm tHe ceo

fROm tHe pResIDeNt

“The most useful things I learnt… respecting differing opinions, communication is vital & know when to step up or step back. It exceeded my expectations by one million.”

Tim, Patient Member

“I learnt to step back as a leader, how to actively listen & include people. It was awesome, great vibe, great activities.” Emilie, Bereaved Offspring Member

WHAT CANTeEN MEMBeRS sAY aBout iT:

WHAT?CanTeen is proud to have young people living with cancer actively involved at all levels of the organisation providing direction, feedback and advice. Our annual National Leadership Program is a comprehensive and intensive youth development program aimed at enhancing young people’s leadership skills. This program provides the opportunity for our young people to learn about the strategic direction of CanTeen, gain an understanding of their role as a leader and to develop and practice skills relevant to their leadership role. At the end of the 2013 program, 92% of Members agreed or strongly agreed that they were confident in their ability to fulfil their role as a Leader at CanTeen.

The program was held over 6 days in Wellington, South Australia with 88 Members, 11 Staff and 6 Volunteers in attendance.

WHY?The National Leadership Program gives CanTeen’s young leaders and those that show great leadership potential a chance to come together from across the country to:

• Gain and develop new leadership skills

• Connect with other leaders and Members nationally

• Share knowledge and experiences

• Have time to connect and plan with their Division Committees.

They then take these skills back into their Divisions to support other young people living with cancer through their leadership roles. It provides a nationally consistent training program, which each Division has access to.

pRoGram SPoTLiGHTNATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMNATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

ITINERARYOveR THe 6 dAyS of ThE PRogrAM THE foLloWing SEssioNS WErE run foR THe MeMBeRS:

• explORing wHaT mAkEs A gOod TeAM• HoW to run A meETiNg• CoMmuniCAtiNg Your MESSAgE

• fuTurE plAnNing – CAnteen noW And in ThE fuTurE• LeadeRShiP TrAiniNg• rolE specifiC tRAininG• MediA TrAining – lEARNing How To PrEpaRe A mesSAGe

ThAT you want To gET ACRoSs To THE MEdiA• reCReATionAl AcTiviTieS

My mum was diagnosed with brain cancer in August 2000, when I was just ten years old. While treatment was successful and saw her enter remission, she would unfortunately relapse and ultimately pass away from the cancer in April 2003, shortly after I had started high school.

Cancer would re–enter my life eighteen months later when I had a large lump in my groin checked out, and removed. I was diagnosed with a paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma - a relatively benign cancer, particularly given its location - and underwent ten months’ worth of treatment, which included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The almost standard–issue hair loss, body issues and perceived isolation became part of every day.

I entered remission in October 2005 and joined CanTeen to gain a sense of understanding and belonging from others in my situation. Straight away I felt a connection with everyone on my first Program, and instantly caught the famously infectious ‘Vibe’, and wondered at the awe that is CanTeen.

My introduction to leadership at CanTeen was being awarded the National Shooting Star Award at National Camp 2007, and shortly afterwards I was approached to become a Member Leader to support New Members attending their first program and to facilitate team discussions. After a couple years of doing this, I decided to use my experiences and challenge myself to join the Victorian Division Committee in 2009. I was elected to the role of Vice President for my first year on the Division Committee. ‘The following year I was elected as a Division President, and oversaw the Victorian Division Committee through one of its toughest years in recent history.

In 2011 I was elected to the next step up in Member leadership - the national Member Advisory Council (MAC). I began to see how each piece of the gigantic CanTeen puzzle fits together, and learnt a lot about myself professionally, but also personally. I also developed new skills that would help my

Lachlan, 23 years old, CanTeen Patient and Bereaved Offspring Member.

dESpiTe AlL THe ChAlLenGes THAT young pEopLe living With CANCer fACE, we ARe AlL CApaBle of acHieVing gReat ThingS.

budding professional life of a Radiographer outside of CanTeen. When I joined CanTeen’s Board of Directors in 2012, it was a far cry from the dark days of uncertainty and hollowness that were part of my early cancer journey.

Despite all the challenges that young people living with cancer face, we are all capable of achieving great things. A core focus for CanTeen has always been to empower young people like myself to take back control of our lives, whether it’s readjusting to a ‘new normal’, leading a group of young people, finding new skills or sitting on a Board of Directors.

Ultimately every Member at every level of CanTeen is simultaneously accountable and dependent on every other Member, whether it be making the cancer journey easier, or reminding one of how far they have travelled as a result of turning a traumatic experience into a life–enhancing journey. Without this, CanTeen would simply not be CanTeen.

Lachlan having fun on National Leadership Program January 2013 themed ‘All Aboard the Leadership.

Lachlan and friends at National Leadership Program 2010

ThAnK you! you’Ve hElped empoWER lAchLAN With THe SKilLs To TAKE BACK CoNTrol of his lifE ANd Build rESiLiENCe for THe fuTure

The hardest thing about getting cancer was losing my left eye. At first, I felt very different to everyone else, I thought that people were staring at me.

Dying scared me the most - I used to think “Am I going to make it through my next round of chemotherapy?”

I joined CanTeen soon after I was diagnosed and it is amazing to be around people my own age who understand what I am going through and who can comfort me if I’m feeling down and in need of advice.

It wasn’t until I joined CanTeen that I became more confident. It gave me the courage to volunteer and be a leader at school which I wouldn’t have done before. Without the support of my friends there I wouldn’t be as outgoing as I am, I wouldn’t be as happy.

Just as I finished treatment we thought that life would get back to normal, then my brother James was diagnosed with the same type of cancer as me and everything changed again.

Life’s a lot different now that we both have been diagnosed. I’m thankful for everything that we still have. I feel lucky because I have lots of support at home, at school and from my friends at CanTeen. With everyone’s help, I’ve got to the stage where I don’t care what other people think anymore. Just being able to be me and do what I want to do excites me.

With youR onGoinG SuppORT MAry Jo hAs found THe CourAge To livE lifE With CoNfidENCe

Mary Jo, 14 years old, CanTeen Patient and Sibling Member

• CAnceR is ReSPOnSiBLE for onE iN Ten dEATHS Among young peoPle• iN cOmpaRison to TheiR PeERs, yOuNg PEople who surViVe cAnceR ARe twiCE AS

liKEly to dEvEloP cArdiovasCulaR diSEAse or HaVe A disABiLiTy LATeR iN life• AlMosT a quArTeR of young canCER suRviVORS cOnTinuE To fACE menTAl hEAlTh

issueS such As dEPReSsioN, AnxieTY or PoST – TrAumATiC STResS disordeR yEARS aftER THEir tReaTMENT HAS finiShed

dID You kNOw

MAdE possible wItH Your suppoRt.uPdatESYouth CAncer SeRvIces (YCS)Thanks to you five YCS are operating in major hospitals across the country with multidisciplinary teams of medical, nursing and psychosocial specialists directly helping almost 225 young cancer patients per year. Already, almost 900 patients have been treated directly by the Service with another 1,800 patients supported in other hospitals by YCS staff.

Your ongoing support will improve access to specialist services to ensure that all young people diagnosed with cancer get appropriate treatment and support. In addition it will provide opportunities for continued professional development within the national network of YCS staff and funding for strategic research and national data collection.

counSeLLiNGYoung people living with cancer are at much higher risk of mental health issues than their peers. That’s because a cancer diagnosis turns a young person’s life upside down which can leave them feeling vulnerable, frightened, confused and alone.

CanTeen’s Counselling Service provides essential support to those who need it most. It gives young people the chance to discuss their thoughts and feelings with specially trained counsellors who conduct free and confidential sessions face to face, over the phone or online.

With your help we have expanded the CanTeen Counselling Service to support all young people living with cancer. The young people who have used our service tell us they’re less sad and anxious, feel more hopeful and that they’re better equipped to deal with their situation.

Excitingly, an online support service is currently under development and will be launched early this year.

It will enable young people living with cancer to access counselling and other support 7 days a week and over extended hours on week days and nights, regardless of where they live in Australia.

CanTeen’s vision is that the new online platform will ultimately provide the primary site where all young people living with cancer can find information, connect with others going through a similar experience, express their feelings, utilise tools to support them, and access professional psychosocial support services that meet their individual needs and positively impact on their mental health and wellbeing. This exciting initiative can only be achieved with your generous help – thank you!

I don’t know where I’d be without the Counselling Service. My advice to other young people who might be unsure about counselling is this – never feel embarrassed and give it a go. You’d be surprised by the amount of stuff in your head.

Christina, Bereaved Offspring Member

CanTeen provides fre

e counselling sessio

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face to face, over t

he phone or online

InDividual supportWe understand that cancer affects everything, and that it also affects everyone differently. That’s why we use an individual support model to help every young person deal with the impact that cancer is having on their life.Young people are given the opportunity to identify their specific needs in relation to their cancer experience through our expert staff meeting with every young person individually to help them work out what type of support they need and which CanTeen services will be of most help. Young people are empowered to set their own goals to help them gain a sense of control over what they are going through.Staff members then work with the young people to assist them in achieving their goals as well as re-assessing their needs at regular time-points. This approach ensures that CanTeen staff fully understand the complex needs of each young person and thus are able to very effectively provide targeted support to young people in line with their individual cancer journeys.

InformAtIoNCanTeen has a wide range of easy to read, helpful information specific to young people affected by cancer. With your help we now have a suite of more than ten booklets that provide information and support to young people to help them on their cancer journey. Our resources are available online and in hard copy. Because of your generosity in 2013 we launched a new series of booklets aimed at friends in response to CanTeen’s research which revealed that a lack of support and understanding from friends often left young people living with cancer feeling isolated and alone. The ‘Wait… did you say cancer?’ series provides information and practical advice for friends who often want to help, but are not sure what to do.

we Couldn’t do iT WiThOuT our CANdO fAMiLy MEMBeRS

did you kNOw: Young peoPle wHo hAvE a PARENT

With CAncer ARe 6 TimeS MoRe LikelY To BE aT RiSk

of menTAl hEAlTh isSuEs ThAn ThEiR fRiEndS

do you Know A young PERson liVing wiTh cAncER?Call us on 1800 226 833 and speak to a Member Liaison Officer.

Check out our website www.canteen.org.auaCT noW

CanTeen resources provide vital

information for young people living

with cancer.