KOALA Kids provides so many small things that make a difference to the lives of children with cancer and their families.

KOALA Kids collaborates with Children’s Cancer Centres of Victoria at each of Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Monash Medical Centre and Peter Mac Cancer Centre. Plans are presently underway to include seven Out Reach Centres in rural and regional Victoria.

An integral element of KOALA Kids’ programs also includes providing the RCH Education Institute with basic equipment, materials and supplies for its teachers working with children in Out Patient and the Ward at Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Monash Medical Centre (MMC) and Peter Mac Cancer Centre.

KOALA Kids, part of KOALA Foundation was established in 2006 and is committed to supplying engaging, educational and entertaining activities and programs to distract children and their families from the pain and trauma associated with the cancer journey and to keep them connected with their schools and social networks. KOALA Kids funds its own activities. There are neither paid staff nor any administrative costs.

These activities and programs include:
Comfort First – KOALA Kids provides many of the tools that assist with pain management and offer distraction for children in treatment.

Sibling’s Days – KOALA Kids provides educational tools and gifts plus food and refreshments for sessions for brothers and sisters of children in treatment).

Look Good Feel Better - KOALA Kids provides food and refreshments for sessions to help teenagers manage the appearance-related side affects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy thereby helping to restore their self image and increase their self esteem.

KOALA Kids’ Toy Cupboards - Toys, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, make-up & beauty products, books and board games for children aged 3 months to 18 years.

KOALA Kids’ Calendar of Events - Bringing special events, religious holidays and educational themes into the ward and Out Patient areas; Easter, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, Children’s Week, School Holiday Entertainment, Book Week, Making Music Well Being, Mother’s & Father’s Days.

Chupa Chups – 6,000 Lollypops annually. One for every child for distraction and comfort during and post treatments.

KOALA Kids’ School Ambassadors – Designed to empower interested students, year 5 and up, to raise the awareness in their school communities about children diagnosed with cancer and the plight of their families that make the cancer journey with them. It is envisaged that these students, from schools throughout Victoria, will develop mechanisms to raise funds that will be used to support the education of children in cancer treatment.

New programs are currently being discussed and evaluated. These include:
KOALA Kids’ Out Reach Tool Boxes –Activity boxes in the seven rural and regional centres filled with games, puzzles, craft & art, portable CD and DVD players and lots of other tools for children in treatment when they are able to receive care closer to home.

The KOALA Kids’ Arts Program - Supported by actors, performers, singers, musicians, authors and artists including paint, sculpture, graffiti and mosaic along with an IT program which will offer various forms of computer interaction and activities for teenagers in cancer treatment.

KOALA Kids is the only group filling this need for the Children’s Cancer Centres and the RCH Education Institute.

Should you have any ideas or contacts or if you want more information about how you, your friends, your company, your family, your school or your community can become involved in KOALA Kids, please contact Mandy Mandie on 0412 558466 or koala@koalafoundation.org.au.