Cancer Society Taranaki centre to raise funds by supporting local business

Supportive care coordinator, Janine Luke- Taamaru working from home. Photo/ Supplied.

The Taranaki Cancer Society has launched a fundraising initiative that will support local businesses while raising funds for the Cancer Society.

Vouch for Recovery works by having people purchase vouchers from local businesses to then be donated for a Cancer Society raffle.

Taranaki Cancer Society fundraising and events coordinator Cassie Rowe says this will help raise funds for the society as well as supporting local businesses.

"We want to help the businesses that have helped us throughout the years. By buying a voucher from a local business, people are helping them so they can push through what will be a difficult time."

The Cancer Society has continued to operate throughout the Alert Level 4 Lockdown and is continuing to run during Alert Level 3, she says.

"While our centre isn't open to the public, we have been available to help those who need us. We are running shuttles for the patients from Taranaki to Palmerston North so they can get their treatments.

"We have followed social distancing rules and have ensured everything is well cleaned. We also have sanitiser and masks available."

They have also offered patients information and support via phone calls or Zoom.

"When you have cancer, there is a lot that is unknown and patients take comfort in knowing they have a plan. When the pandemic hit, lots of patients felt uneasy because their plan had changed. Our role is to help them through their new plan during this time and after."

Cassie says the Cancer Society's centres across the country have been keeping in contact and working together during the Alert Levels.

"We were talking to the Nelson and Whanganui centres and we wanted to find a way where we could help the businesses who have supported us and also raise funds.

"When the SOS Business website came up, we thought buying vouchers from local businesses and then raffling them would be a great way to help."

SOS Business is a website where people can buy vouchers for a local business and redeem them once the Alert Levels are lowered.

She says people can either buy a physical voucher from the store or an online one from SOS Business.

"We're encouraging people to get involved. The Taranaki community has an amazing community spirit. I moved here 18 months ago from Palmerston North and the spirit here is like no other I've experienced."

Cassie says contactless pick-up can be organised for physical vouchers and online vouchers can be emailed through.

"Once we have the vouchers, we will post a link to a website on the Cancer Society Taranaki Facebook page. The website will be where people can purchase a raffle ticket."

The Society will accept vouchers up until Friday May 8. The raffle will go live on Monday May 11.

■ To buy an online voucher for a local business, visit sosbusiness.nz. These can be sent to cassie.rowe@cancercd.org.nz

To arrange contactless pick-up for physical vouchers call 06 757 3006. For more information, visit the Taranaki Cancer Society Facebook page.