Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation

Fujitsu General Australia is extremely proud to be a major sponsor of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation. Established in 1996 by a number of high profile Australian sports men and women, including Fujitsu Generals’ longstanding ambassador Mark Taylor, Sporting Chance is a not-for-profit organisation that helps provide home support and care to children with cancer.

To date, Fujitsu General has donated more than $10M to this worthy cause, ($10,787,000 as of March 2024), with a percentage of sales from Fujitsu’s air conditioning units going towards the funding of outreach programs and exploring better ways to treat and overcome cancer.

This support has enabled the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation to fund nurses across Australia allowing children to receive improved cancer care closer to home. This funding also allows for remote treatment and care for families, and considerably reduces the time spent travelling to and from the nearest hospital, which could be thousands of kilometres from home.

Sporting Chance initiatives allow families to spend more quality time at home together, while still having access to the appropriate care for their child. Fujitsu General is dedicated to the ongoing support of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation and its commitment to improving the cancer care available for children, as well as research and new treatment developments.

Supporting Cancer Care Close to Home: Pippa’s Journey

Melissa and her daughter Pippa live in the small country town of Terang, Victoria. Their story began when Pippa, just three years old, showed signs of severe fatigue, pale skin, and unexplained bruising. Melissa initially thought it was just an iron deficiency, but a visit to the doctor turned their lives upside down. That same evening, the doctor delivered life-changing news—Pippa needed immediate care in Melbourne. She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The diagnosis was a devastating blow for the single mother and her young daughter. They had to relocate to Melbourne, far from their close-knit community, to begin an intensive treatment regimen that would span over two and a half years. Like many rural families facing childhood cancer, Melissa and Pippa's world was upended by the challenges of accessing specialised care in a big city.

Childhood cancer is rare, and care is often centralised in major cities, leading many families to make difficult choices. In the past, families like Melissa’s would have had no choice but to relocate to the city indefinitely, creating financial and emotional strain. However, with support from Sporting Chance, families can now access specialised care closer to home.

Chris, a dedicated nurse and part of the outreach team, played a crucial role in Pippa's care. He is based at the Royal Children's Hospital as a Bob Skilton Outreach nurse, focusing on delivering cancer care to regional families in Victoria. Through Sporting Chance’s work, families don’t have to choose between their child’s health and staying connected to their community.

"One in three children in our cancer center doesn’t live in Melbourne," says Chris, highlighting the importance of regional care options. The Sporting Chance initiative brings chemotherapy and supportive care—such as transfusions and fever management—closer to home for many families, sparing them the burden of long-distance travel.

For Melissa and Pippa, the support meant everything. Halfway through Pippa's treatment, her doctors discovered she could receive some of her care locally in Warrnambool, three hours closer to home. This was a game-changer, allowing Pippa to return to school and Melissa to resume work. They no longer had to pay for accommodation or endure hours of travel. “It was back to normal,” Melissa said.

Sporting Chance’s outreach efforts save families not only travel time but also financial and social costs. According to Chris, local treatment options for children with leukemia saved families around 25,000 kilometers of travel, allowing children to maintain connections with school, friends, and their community.

Now, Pippa is eight years old and in remission, thriving back in her hometown. Her story is a testament to the impact of compassionate, community-focused care. As Chris notes, "One of the signs of a good health service is how we look after the most vulnerable in our community. There’s nothing more vulnerable than a young child facing a cancer diagnosis. When we can provide that care with the support of Sporting Chance, it's a truly great outcome."

Through their work, Sporting Chance is not just saving kilometers on the road; they’re helping children like Pippa get back to living their lives—healthier, happier, and at home.

James Tedesco Outreach Program

James Tedesco, representing the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation, visited the Sydney Children's Hospital to inaugurate the James Tedesco Outreach Program, an initiative funded by the foundation for three years. During his visit, James expressed his personal connection to the program and his enthusiasm for making a positive impact on the lives of children battling cancer. He acknowledged the challenging circumstances faced by families and children undergoing treatment at the hospital.

The James Tedesco outreach program aims to deliver care to children living in rural areas, allowing them to receive treatment while staying in the comfort of their homes. James highlighted the significance of this outreach effort, particularly for families in rural parts of New South Wales, where accessing specialised care can be challenging. He emphasised the importance of minimising disruptions to the lives of families affected by cancer, including patients, siblings, and caregivers.

James underscored the need for sustained funding to ensure the longevity of the outreach program. He expressed hope that additional sponsors would come forward to support the initiative, enabling it to continue providing essential services to families in need. The hospital staff expressed gratitude for James's support and emphasised the indispensable role of his contributions in keeping the program operational.

James commitment to the program and the need for sustained funding underscored the importance of community involvement in addressing the challenges faced by families dealing with pediatric cancer.

Raelene Boyle Outreach Program

Operating out of the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, this program covers outreach services in remote areas throughout Queensland, and includes a web-based cancer and palliative care program.

Patients are able to connect to a treatment centre from home via a webcam and receive consultations directly from their care givers. Nurses are able to advise parents and children on the correct medication, along with the correct dosage to take. This allows parents and children to return home from hospital, and still receive the highest level of care remotely with occasional home visits.

This service has enabled families to spend less time on the road travelling to and from hospital visits and more precious time spent at home as a family.

As a result of the success of the Raelene Boyle Outreach Program, Sporting Chance has opened this service to non-cancer patients, however the vast majority of patients are being treated for cancer, including families like Slater’s who have been able to utilise these services, with very satisfying and life-changing outcomes.

At 18 months of age, Slater began losing his balance and his head kept tilting to one side. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour. With the help of Sporting Chance, Slater’s family was able to access the support of the Raelene Boyle Outreach Program to help Slater ‘kick cancer’s butt’.

Mark Taylor Outreach Program

At just five weeks old Archie’s mum started to notice irregular eye movement in her child. At 12 weeks he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer of the eyes. The family lived in Bathurst, yet needed to attend regular treatment at The Children’s Hospital, Westmead. With support from the Sporting Chance Mark Taylor Outreach Program, Archie’s family was connected with Bathurst hospital. Assistance from the local hospital meant Archie’s family didn’t need to relocate to Sydney, or be separated for long periods during treatment. This enabled their life to be as normal as it could be under the circumstances, surrounded by family and friends.

According to Dr Luciano Dalla- Pozza - Head, Oncology Department, The Children’s Hospital, Westmead; “Without the support of Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation and the Mark Taylor Outreach Program, meeting the needs of rural children and their families would not be possible. The Outreach Clinical Nurse Consultant position supported through Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation directly benefits the children and families in our care and makes an enormous difference to their lives, not just now, but in the future. The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is proud and appreciative of our partnership with the Foundation that has achieved Benefactor status from the Hospital.”