Lisa Greissl is Founder of Newcastle based “The Big Hug Box”

Lisa’s remarkable body of work came to the attention of all at CRBF in early 2018, after she reached out to us, and a meeting followed during one of the trips she does regularly to Sydney, to deliver the boxes of joy, that have lifted the spirits of all who received them for many years.

We came to know Lisa as a very special young woman, who despite her own experience with cancer, spends every day brightening the lives of those now walking this road behind her.  She is a true force of nature.

After experiencing a her own rare cancer diagnosis in 2015, Lisa advocates for patient wellbeing, health and support and acknowledges the importance of the little acts of kindness that play a significant part in contributing to patient wellbeing which contributed to The Big Hug Box being born.

“I am so proud of what The Big Hug Box has achieved and continues to achieve. We have built an incredibly supportive community around us who value the importance of kindness and are aligned with our values and our purpose. Together we will make a positive impact on the lives affected by cancer with a Big Hug and supporting cancer support services and organisations with profits from every sale” Lisa Greissl.Go to https://thebighugbox.com/ to bring joy to the life of someone you know who may be in need of a Big Hug.

Lachie Mactier, Hunter Hordern and Angus Joyce are just the type of mates you need around you when your world falls apart. Just ask CRBF’s Patient Advocate, Jack Gibson. Jack was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2017, and there has never been one moment he has felt the need to walk what can be a very lonely road, alone.

Jack has a remarkable family, but he is also blessed with a remarkable friendship group that blossomed at school, and continued throughout Uni to today.

Several months ago, the boys, under the alias @poor_mans_everest contacted CRBF with a proposal to complete 2 events. Jack, Hunter, and Angus will form a relay team and compete in the Noosa Triathlon in October. Not to be outdone, Lachie will be running in the @blackmoresaustralia marathon.

They are kicking their campaign off in global Sarcoma Awareness Month, and will not only be raising funds for the support of sarcoma patients and their families in Australia, but they will also be spreading awareness from today when their campaign launches, and throughout the coming months.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to Lachie, Angus and Hunter for being there for Jack, but for their endless commitment to improving resources for sarcoma patients and their contribution over many years to clinical research.

Give the boys a follow on instagram at @poor_mans_everest and watch them as they train and work towards these huge events!

Today, 18 year old Jye Ferrier was farewelled by his loving family and friends at a truly beautiful service on the Gold Coast.

We awoke to the tragic news early last Friday, that this courageous young man loved by all, had lost his life to osteosarcoma, and the sun immediately disappeared behind a cloud.

The courage and determination Jye showed throughout what can only be described as an intensely cruel treatment process, defies words.  Those closest to Jye today remembered the kind, sweet, considerate, selfless young man whose smile, despite his plight in life, continued to light up a room.

Jye always put the needs of others first, despite the pain and sheer angst that came his way during treatment.

Jye made his mark on the world in such a significant way, and he will always be etched in the memory of those whose lives have been deeply touched by his special presence.

Jye’s family Lisa, Dean, Tristan and Byron left Jye in no doubt as to how much he was loved.  It is difficult to imagine a family more cohesive, attentive and supportive. Jye was always wrapped in the pure love of this remarkable family.

Sometimes there are simply no words other than to send our love, strength and our heartfelt condolences to  Lisa, Dean, Tristan, Byron, Jye’s extended family and his very special group of young friends who have spent the past week contemplating life without him.

Forever young…

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdIVqvlrItY/?hl=en

We are very pleased to announce that the Sponsorship and Team packages are now available for Swing4Sarcoma.

Each package is designed so that everyone has a chance to get involved and help raise funds for some much needed Sarcoma research through the @crbfoundation

If you’d like to know more or RSVP to one of the options in the images above, please DM us through our instagram account, and we can get back to you as soon as possible. We are still working out the logistics for the event and will share information once it’s ready.

CRBF is delighted to share this recent instagram post with our network of super keen golfers.

Teams are filling fast, so follow the instructions to secure your spot soon to avoid disappointment.

Spend an idyllic day in the magnificent Southern Highlands only 90 mins from Sydney, with friends, our celebrity golfers, delicious food and beverages, and the opportunity to win great prizes on the day – all while contributing funds to assist those living with a sarcoma diagnosis through our many funding streams.

We extend our sincere thanks to Ed, Patrick, Tim and Simon (all of whom have personal experience with sarcoma) for providing this wonderful opportunity.

Further details below:

CRBF & Feel the Magic

At CRBF we are always looking to partner with like minded organisations whose work  assists our patients and families.  One such organisation is Feel the Magic.  Cooper’s older brother Mitch has been a voluntary mentor at Camp Magic for almost four years whilst studying to become a clinical psychologist.  Suffice to say, he always returns from camps telling us how much he takes away from the experience.

What Feel the Magic do?

Feel the Magic is an Australian charity providing early intervention grief education programs for kids aged 7 to 17.  These children are experiencing pain and isolation due to the death of a parent, guardian, or sibling. Their aim is to create a world where grieving kids and their families feel supported, empowered, and can begin to move forward with their lives.

Why is their work critical?

1 in every 20 children aged 7-17 will experience the death of a parent . In Australia, just over 300,000 children will lose a parent before they reach the age of 18. To put this into perspective, there is most likely a child grieving the loss of a parent in every class at school. In addition to this, children also experience sibling and legal guardian loss. Grieving children who have experienced the death of someone they love can feel isolated and alone. They require ongoing support in developing strategies to cope with and move forward with their lives following a loss.

At Feel the Magic their  evidence-based programs have been developed by a clinical psychologist, and are delivered by trained professionals. Programs follow a structured psycho-educational framework.  This increases confidence and self-respect, teaching practical coping strategies to grieve in a healthy & positive way. Feel the Magic aims to reduce the mental health challenges associated with childhood grief. Bereaved young commonly suffer challenges including anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.  This contributes to the nearly one quarter of young people in Australia who experience some form of mental health challenge .

How to find out more?

To read more about the outstanding work of Feel the Magic, or to enquire about enrolment, go to https://feelthemagic.org.au/