CANSA TLC – Tiny Lives Cherished Festive Season Holiday Project

Help the Cancer Association of South Africa’s (CANSA) TLC department put smiles on the faces of young cancer patients and their siblings this festive season.

• While some children and teens who are cancer patients may spend the holidays in hospital, away from loved ones, with your support we can remind them that they are cherished, remembered and not alone.
• This project also aims to support young cancer patients who aren’t currently in hospital, as these gifts bring joy and encouragement to them in-between hospital visits.
• Furthermore, we are mindful of the immense strain siblings of young cancer patients face, where out of necessity, most care and attention in the home, is directed towards young cancer patients. This project aims to bless these children too.

How You Can Help

Decide

Who will you buy a gift for?

• a young cancer patient (ages range from 3 months to 17 years of age)
• the sibling of a young cancer patient
• a boy
• a girl
• gender neutral (suitable for boy or girl)

Buy

Purchase an age appropriate gift for a child or teen cancer patient – please take safety criteria into account when purchasing gifts for these immuno-compromised children / teens*

or

Purchase an age appropriate gift for the sibling of a young cancer patient

*Safety criteria: 

• To help protect children whose immune systems may be compromised during treatment, we kindly request that no fluffy or soft toys be donated.
• All toys should be new, in their original packaging, and easy to clean or disinfect.
• Activity-based gifts such as puzzles, colouring sets, craft kits, games, and other engaging activities are especially appreciated, as they help children pass the time during hospital stays.
• For teenagers, books, journals, and age-appropriate activities are wonderful options that can provide entertainment, comfort, and a positive distraction during treatment and recovery.

Wrap and Mark Gift

• Please take the time to wrap the gift and clearly mark it, with love.
• Mark gift: indicate on a gift tag, whether the gift is for a boy or girl or gender-neutral / a cancer patient or sibling of a cancer patient / the age of the indented gift recipient
• You are welcome to add an age appropriate message of hope (please place this on the outside of the gift in an envelope)

Deliver

• Deliver your gift to the nearest CANSA Care Centre or CANSA TLC facility / supported TLC Ward.

Cut Off for 2026 Festive Season:

Please deliver your gifts by 25 November 2026 to ensure we have time to distribute to the young recipients in the area.

Queries

Please direct any queries to the National Manager: Childhood Cancer, Anina Meiring ameiring@cansa.org.za – please find out more about the work CANSA TLC does to support children, teens and young adults, with cancer, and their loved ones.