Residents in the Broken Hill district are invited to don their favourite sporting team jersey for charity.
Footy Colours Day is back on today and aims to raise more funds to go towards an important cause.
The annual campaign is hosted by the Fight Cancer Foundation that is dedicated to helping people living with cancer and funding vital research into treatment and cures.
Proceeds from the day will help facilitate education support programs for children and young adults diagnosed with the disease.
The foundation’s managing director, Eric Wright, said the support programs are crucial, especially for children living outside metropolitan areas.
“Regional and rural kids with cancer are more likely to have to relocate and may need to leave their town for upwards of six months, making them more likely to need education support,” he said.
“Our education support programs ensure that these kids can keep up with their education while removed from home life and allows them to return back to their life once they finish treatment.”
An average of 1500 children and young people living with cancer have been supported by the education programs each year.
The programs are designed to address the significant social, emotional and educational impacts during lengthy treatment.
It tackles this by helping to maintain strong links between children and peers, reduce or remove any break in learning and assist with the transition back to their regular school life.
Mr Wright said the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the difficulty for children and is urging more community members to get involved to generate much-needed resources.
“Covid has shown us how important it is to keep connected with our peers and our education,” he said.
“Footy Colours Day is a fun and easy way to ensure kids with cancer, who are already doing it tough, aren’t more significantly impacted.
“We desperately need your help to continue to support these kids.”
Local families, schools and workplaces are encouraged to register to host a virtual event and use the hashtag #FootyColoursDay on social media.
For more information or to donate to the cause, visit www.fightcancer.org.au.
This article was originally published on 1 September 2021.
