Children of courage light up Sky Tower

The fighting spirit of children with cancer is celebrated this week with the Sky Tower was lit up in support of the Child Cancer Foundation's national street collection.

The fighting spirit of children with cancer is celebrated this week with the Sky Tower was lit up to represent Beads of Courage®, in support of the Child Cancer Foundation's national street collection.

SKYCITY Auckland is helping to raise awareness of the Child Cancer Foundation's National Appeal by lighting the Sky Tower from Tuesday 18 March to Sunday 23 March.

Ten children with cancer from throughout Auckland got to witness the Sky Tower lit for the first time, from a premium vantage point at the Grand Hotel, Auckland.

They also met Child Cancer Foundation ambassador Jerome Kaino, the 2011 World Cup Rugby IRB Player of the Year.

The Foundation is very grateful to SKTCITY for their support during this important time.

The Sky Tower will be lit each night in various colours, each representing a Bead of Courage presented to children with cancer on treatment. Beads of Courage®, is a unique therapeutic programme designed to honour the challenging journey kids take while receiving care for cancer.

The programme was introduced by the Child Cancer Foundation in May 2007.

Every bead represents a treatment (for example chemotherapy, injections, scans); an experience (hair loss, isolation, fever) or a milestone (successful immune tolerance therapy, completion of treatment).

The colourful beads map out each child's unique journey and can be shown to friends and family to assist with sharing those experiences.

Three children are diagnosed with cancer each week in New Zealand and collectively undergo a total of 100,000 treatments and procedures annually.

For each of these they receive a Bead of Courage® from the Child Cancer Foundation. Many children have over 1,000 beads.

The main collection day, Beads of Courage® Day is Friday, March 21, throughout New Zealand, with additional collections in some regions on Saturday March 22 and Sunday March 23.

The Foundation's goal is to raise $6 million annually to help children with cancer and their families. The Foundation provides practical one-on-one support tailored to the different needs of each family.

No child cancer journey is the same. Our Family Support Coordinators hold the hand of each child and their family until they are ready to let go, from day of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond.

The average length of treatment for the most common form of childhood cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, is three years for girls and three and a half years for boys.

Look out for street collectors on Beads of Courage® Day, on Friday, March 21st. You can also:

VISIT: www.childcancerappeal.org.nz to make a donation of your choice.

TEXT: BEAD to 206 to make a $3 donation