Supporting CanTeen on National Bandana Day

On 30 October 2020, the Australian Government is urging everyone to wear a bandanna to support young people living with, and recovering from cancer.

Now in its 26th year, CanTeen’s National Bandanna Day raises awareness and supports young people and their families through exceptionally challenging times.

Since it began, CanTeen’s flagship fundraising and awareness campaign has raised more than $33 million to support young people by providing access to programs, counselling and peer support.

The Morrison Government is supporting CanTeen through ongoing investment of $22 million over four years for their Youth Cancer Services (YCS) program.

The YCS program brings together expert multidisciplinary teams to support cancer patients aged 15 to 25. The teams work together to plan and provide high quality treatment and management, as well as social and emotional support.

Services are provided through five state-wide YCS hubs based in major hospitals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, which work with a network of more than 25 hospitals and health services across Australia.

It is estimated some 6,300 young people with cancer will benefit from this funding over the coming four years.

The Morrison Government is committed to ending cancer in adolescents and young adults.

Thanks to the Commonwealth’s $54.8 million investment to the Zero Childhood Cancer National Precision Medicine Program, all Australian children and young adults diagnosed with cancer will now have access to genomically guided, precision treatments through world leading collaborative research.

The Morrison Government provided $9 million through the Medical Research Future Fund to support research into the causes, biology and progression of cancer among children and young adults.

A further $5 million has been provided to CanTeen through the Medical Research Future Fund Emerging Priorities and Consumer Driven Research initiative.

This funding is improving care and outcomes for young people via new clinical trials and greater access to innovative, cutting edge approaches, with the aim of making life saving breakthroughs.

I’d like to thank CanTeen for their tireless work for young Australians impacted by cancer, and I urge everyone to wear a bandanna and show their support this National Bandanna Day.

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