The Gifts that Tara Found in Canteen
At 18, Tara was diagnosed with cancer, and her life was completely turned upside down.
This left her feeling confused and alone, thinking “Am I just a girl with cancer?”.
Canteen’s Individualised Support Model helped Tara receive support that was tailored to her needs. It gave her the space to grow and rediscover herself.
It gave her the gifts of courage, and new connections. Now she's a leader driving change to support young people like her, experiencing cancer.
Your support is bringing hope to young people, like Tara when cancer devastates their life. A gift today can help them also find the flipside of cancer.
Tara's Story
"Back in 2022, I was just living my life when I started feeling really off. I thought it was COVID or my asthma acting up, but my health went downhill. It was really scary. After many appointments and tests, I received the call I was dreading. In the car with my family, I was told I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Mum started crying straight away, but I didn’t even know what “lymphoma” was. It wasn’t until I heard the word “cancer” that I realised it wasn’t good.
I felt like my world had turned upside down. As soon as I was diagnosed, my family started grieving. I felt guilty for causing them pain, and I spent so much time comforting them. It was ages before I really began to process what was happening to me. But then I heard about Canteen. They were all about recognising me, Tara, the person behind the patient.
Their tailored support ensured that every bit of help was based on what was best for me. Even when I didn’t know what I needed, my key worker, Elyssa, did. She listened and advocated for me when I kept insisting I was fine.
I felt seen and heard, never judged. I’ve grown so much over the last couple of years and have experienced things I didn’t think possible after my cancer treatment. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunities Canteen has given me."
Canteen's Individualised Support Model
Canteen understands that everyone’s cancer journey is different. That’s why we developed an Individual Support Model, so each young person who accesses Canteen’s services receives tailored and unique support specific to their needs.
We believe in being guided by what they tell us. To do this we listen to them, assess what they’re struggling with, create and implement a support plan tailored to their needs.
It costs $118 for a young person to attend a support session. Please consider a compassionate and generous gift today to help more young people access this service.