Parade to benefit families living with leukaemia

Media Release                                                                                                           

25 November 2008

Parade to benefit families living with leukaemia

Christmas is a time for kids - that’s a given. And whilst there are many lucky children in the world, Christmas is also a time to acknowledge those that are less fortunate.

So for many Kiwis the yuletide season is a time to reflect on our how we may be able to spread a little bit of extra joy and goodwill this Christmas season.

That’s why the charity element of the annual Farmers Santa Parade is such an important part of the event.

Each year the organisers nominate a deserving charity to collect during the Parade.

In this year’s diamond jubilee Parade on Sunday 30 November, volunteer collectors for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF) will be out and about amongst the crowd.

The charity is committed to improving the lives of patients and their families who are living with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and related blood conditions.

“We’re asking everybody who comes along to the parade to get in to the Christmas spirit of giving. It doesn’t take much to put a little sparkle into the lives of New Zealanders and their families living with leukaemia and blood related diseases,” says Farmers Santa Parade organiser Pam Glaser.

Six children and adults in New Zealand are diagnosed everyday with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma or a related blood condition and this figure is set to rise. Leukaemia is the leading childhood cancer and blood cancers combined are the fifth most common cancer in this country.

The LBF is the only organisation in New Zealand dedicated to supporting these patients and their families living. The LBF receive no government funding and are supported entirely by voluntary donations, it costs the LBF more than $1,000 a day to run the Patient Support Services.  
  

“We all know that Christmas is a time for giving, and this is the perfect opportunity to help others in need,” says Mrs Glaser.

“Every donation no matter how small is greatly appreciated and truly helps our work supporting those patients and their families affected by these diseases,” says Pru Etcheverry, Executive Director of the LBF.

“The diagnosis of leukaemia can have far-reaching consequences for patients and their families. It is estimated that there are currently 10,000 New Zealanders living with a blood cancer such as leukaemia or lymphoma. These diseases can strike anyone, at any age, at any time so we are really grateful that Farmers have chosen us to be the main beneficiary of the 2008 Santa Parade,” Ms Etcheverry concluded. 

Keep an eye out for volunteers dressed as clowns and armed with buckets out and about taking donations during the Farmers Santa Parade.

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