Mummy's Wish

A cancer diagnosis is devastating for anyone. When someone is told they have cancer, and they’re also a mum, the impact is even more profound.

For mums in this situation, often some of their first thoughts are about the practicalities – how to tell the kids, who will care for the children whilet they’re having treatment, how they’ll keep up with their usual tasks around the house, and whether they’ll see their children grow up.

This is where Mummy’s Wish comes in.

Every mum registered with Mummy’s Wish receives a Mummy’s Wish Care Pack.

A practical way to provide information and resources for the mums, the packs also include a selection of books carefully chosen to help have difficult conversations with young children about cancer.

Particularly impactful are the voice-recordable Comfort Bears. These cuddly teddies are provided for each child aged under 13 and allow the mums to record special messages for their children.

These voice recordings bring incredible comfort to children and families when mums are away from home, in hospital or need to travel for treatment, or sadly for when they want to keep their mum’s memories alive.

Mums have shared the profound effect the bears have had on their families, offering hope, and helping to talk about how cancer is affecting the family.

Mum Laura recorded a message for her daughter and sang her 2-year-old son’s favourite song.

“At the end of the message I tell him that I love him, and every time he listens to it (whether I’m there or not), he says ‘I love you Mum’ back to the bear,” she said.

Amanda’s family received their bear the day after she had cancer surgery and had fun recording special messages to each other.

“You have no idea the happiness your organisation has brought to our family during this difficult time,” she said.

Each bear costs Mummy’s Wish $70, but the impact is priceless.

Last year, Mummy’s Wish distributed almost 1,400 bears to children whose mums had been diagnosed with cancer, and with support from the community, will continue to provide this vital service.

Mums can also choose the practical help that would make the biggest difference for their family, such as vouchers for groceries, house cleaning, delivery of nutritious family meals or gardening.

With your support this Dry July, more mums can receive the practical support they need, so they can focus on their health and being with their children.

Dry July 2023 funds are helping Mummy’s Wish continue to provide tailored, practical support to the 5,000 mums who are diagnosed with cancer in Australia each year through their Mummy’s Wish Support Coordinators.

This support gives the gift of time to mums with cancer so they can focus on what’s most important, being a mum

Mummy’s Wish helps manage the distressing burden of cancer on mums and their families by providing practical, tailored support during the entire treatment journey. This support gives the gift of time to mums with cancer so they can focus on what’s most important, being a mum.

Funds raised Mummy’s Wish Dry July supporters will be used to fund Mums Support Coordinators, Connecting & Counselling for Mum’s affected by cancer.

These support coordinators will provide personal support and case management by qualified Mummy's Wish health professionals who not only support but act as an information hub for mums affected by cancer. This ongoing support will include referrals to other support agencies, connection to support groups, Mummy's Wish online community and counselling services for Mums affected by cancer.

National charity, Mummy’s Wish is calling for sign-ups to their Dry July campaign to raise funds for mums with cancer.

Because a mum with cancer is still a mum.

5,000 Australian mums are diagnosed with cancer each year. Mummy’s Wish currently supports 1,000 of them. Their goal is to deliver the service to every single mum who receives a cancer diagnosis while caring for young children by 2025.

The charity provides practical and immediate support to mums with children under 13. Services include one-on-one calls with support coordinators; help with house-cleaning, gardening or meal deliveries; resources to help mums talk to their kids about their illness and treatment; referrals to support agencies; and photography sessions for mums given a poor prognosis.

Mummy’s Wish recipient and Sydney mother of three, Yvette Martin, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year but wasted no time signing up for the 2020 campaign, raising more than $7,000. She has undergone treatment for her cancer and is keen to give back by raising funds again this year. Yvette said the charity gives big to mums when they need it most.

“There I was living life, having fun with friends, enjoying a new home close to the beach, loving what I did every day and the impact I made in the world. Then, cancer,” the coaching consultant said.

“Cancer is such a big thing but Mummy’s Wish is there to help with the daily lived experience. I’ve felt held by them so much. Giving up alcohol for July is one way people can be empowered to help change the lives of others and show they care,” Yvette added.

Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of Dry July 2020 participants, Mummy's Wish are planning to introduce Cancer Care Co-Ordinators and Care Packs to help Mums living with cancer. 

- Cancer Care Co-Ordinators

Around 130,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia this year and of these cases over 5000 will be mums with young children aged 12 years and under. That means every day 13 families in Australia will have their lives turned upside down when mum is diagnosed with cancer. A cancer diagnosis can have a significant impact on many lives and communities.

- Care Packs for 1000 Mums with cancer

Packs provide comfort and support to Mums and their families and are posted to all the mums Mummy's Wish supports and include the following:

• A voice-recordable Comfort Bear for each child 12 years and under

• Therapeutic books for each child

• "Dealing with cancer - a guide for mums" resource and information booklet

• A travel compendium and notepad (to document and store medical resources and information)

• A Mummy's Wish tote bag

The books resourced have been researched by the Support Coordinators as age-specific and appropriate to children who have a mum with cancer. There are several titles that Mummy's Wish access which include: "When someone has a very serious illness", " Hey Warrior", "The Invisible String", "Beginnings and Endings and Lifetimes in between" and "You, me and the Rainbow".