Care Days to be launched in New Zealand!

Andrew Lauder, the Founder and Chairman of Care Days is delighted to announce that a cooperation agreement has been reached with the registered charity Sweet Louise in Auckland New Zealand to launch Sweet Louise / Care Days in New Zealand.
Sweet Louise was set up 10 years ago by the husband of a very positive breast cancer patient who died 10 years after diagnosis, having led a full and active life. Since then, Sweet Louise has cared for over 800 terminal breast cancer patients ensuring counselling and emotional support and, like Care Days, offering Dreams in various forms.

The main difference is that Sweet Louise raise money to pay for the services they offer which is why Catrin Devonald, the CEO immediately understood the unique Care Days concept of services being offered free of charge by local businesses. 

Already Care Days have negotiated a special price for Sweet Louise patients at a fabulous harbour front penthouse in Auckland and an equally fabulous 4 bedroom house overlooking the Bay of Islands.

Andrew was very impressed by the friendly smiling faces of the volunteers and staff at Sweet Louise as it is just what cancer patients need when they walk in, as he knows from his own experience of cancer. 

Already, a coordinator, Ngaire, has been appointed to work together with local companies to organise Care Days free of charge, meaning that more money is left for Sweet Louise to offer the amazing counselling, Dreams and support services that they offer across New Zealand. 
Andrew and Jenny feel very fortunate to have reached an agreement for Care Days to cooperate with Sweet Louise, as the ethics of both charities are mirror images of care for cancer patients and giving patients a break from the treadmill of cancer.

Finally, thanks to the sister of his oldest friend and her two lovely daughters who live in New Zealand,  they are walking 5k on March 22nd with friends so that Care Days will be represented in 4 Continents on that day!

Plans are being discussed for a much bigger involvement in 2027 to help Sweet Louise.
Care Days....Live the Dream
International Care Days 4 U Ltd. Reg HE 466660
Sweet Louise Charity Reg. CC3170

Care Days / Friend’s Hospice 1000km fun walk Sunday March 22nd 

Our big event is our 1000km fun walk along the coastal path at 10.00 a.m. 

Yet again the response so far has been good, plus Andrew & Jenny have committed to each walk 100kms beforehand .

The venue is the coastal path behind the Elysium Hotel.

Try to get there early as we have music from the TLC School, plus 2 lovely young  girls singing, one of whose Dads has cancer and it is a great atmosphere.
The Winkles will keep us entertained with a bigger team ( and monster beer cart!) and many patients are putting in a team as are Helen Charles Salon London, TLC  and the Paphos Strollers as they know that we are all unpaid volunteers who claim no expenses apart from graphic design, so all the money raised goes to cancer patients and limited but vital advertising only in Cyprus.

This year yet again The Paphos Post is supporting us and Viva fm are doing a live broadcast,  so please let the Team know if you would like to tell everyone about the difference that Care Days and the Friend’s Hospice are making to you. A huge thank you to Charlotte from Charlotte Graphic Design for handling ALL the administration of Care Days and the walk.

Also apart from the great team in Cyprus we have a large team of patients walking the beach in S.Africa, a team in New Zealand,  Tom Schnitzius the ultra runner and Lisa walking in America and in the UK we have Jenny’s stepson Steve doing a 3 peaks marathon in 12 hours after just recovering from cancer in aid of our Sweetlove Cancer Nurse as well as Andrew’ s son Bruce walking and the family of our first Dreams patient all on the same day and all for Care Days.
Steve's attempt to do a marathon up 3 mountains in12 hours just after a serious cancer is a really amazing gesture to help others .

Our little Care Days  snowball of 4 years ago has grown and grown as it rolls down the hill gathering impetus to help more cancer patients. Who would have thought our little Dream would be represented in 4 Continents in just 4 years and would have looked after over 800 cancer patients ?

Last year Care Days and Friend’s Hospice did amazingly well on our fun walk. If we can raise a similar amount this year it will be a great achievement. 

Although walker forms need to be in by end January you can still join us of you apply later  but we may not be able to order a shirt for you. The sponsor  forms and money you raise should please be paid on the day . Thanks for the great response so far!

The special deal with the lovely Droushia Heights Hotel has been very well received as the letter below confirms:

Dearest Andrew and all the Dream Team,  I just want to say an ENORMOUS thank you for the lovely stay you gave us at the lovely Drousheia heights hotel!!! We had a wonderful, relaxing stay and owe it all to all of you.  May God bless and protect you always and keep you safe to be able to continue your very caring and generous acts of kindness. Care Days  are like angels here on earth,  thank you, thank you, thank you  xxxxxxx Mrs.P

Focus on S.Africa
After New Zealand Andrew and Jenny flew to S.Africa, entirely at  their own expense and will be personally taking nearly100 patients on a Care Day.
The first event was a snack  dinner at the 5 star seafront President Hotel . This event established Care Days in S Africa last year and it was so full of life, joy and laughter even though many have terminal cancer. To be both given the privilege of being hugged by these beautiful women as they thanked us  even though many were Moslem and to hold their hand as they told their story highlighted that different religions can and should work together instead of the massacre and displacement we have seen in Gaza. 
What we found here and what they all found at the wonderful Retreat was that,  if handled with love, compassion and care , cancer can  bring patients of  all religions together, rich or poor. 

As our lovely Dream recipient Weedadt, who donated her Dream money to benefit others in her village, said :” These lovely people make you  want to be better.”
What really touched Jenny and I was that sooo many patients here with cancer have also become helpers. This is extraordinary and as Abeda , the wonderful Social Services  manager says” Positivity abounds.” This after we lost three Mums just before Christmas making orphans of 7 children. We so wish more people could experience the joy that our CANSA /CARE DAYS patients bring to these Care Days and in next month’s Paphos Post we will try to paint a  picture for you of individuals like the lovely 7 year old Amaahra  who has bone  cancer and a brain tumour ...and her mother who has cancer and has been at the very edge of despair but now is so positive . 
At the end of the meeting  Andrew asked them to all stand up and shout with a smile on our faces :
“I am stronger than cancer!”
Next month, too, you will learn how the CANSA/CARE DAYS SWEETLOVE NURSE is going to change lives. We launch it on Voice of the Cape Radio in a 20 minute interview on their Mornings with Meaning slot  together with the lovely Dorothy who is taking on the role of the Sweetlove nurse.

Care Days....Live the Dream 
International Care Days 4 U Ltd. Reg HE 466660