CanTeen Aotearoa

Around 4,200 rangatahi / young people across Aotearoa are impacted by cancer each year, whether it’s their own diagnosis or in their whānau.

CanTeen’s mission is to make sure they don’t have to face cancer alone.

CanTeen supports 13-24 year-olds who have had their world turned upside down by cancer - whether it’s their own cancer, that of a sibling or parent, or the death of a sibling or parent.

We are here to help them cope with the physical, emotional, and practical impacts of a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer affects everyone differently and at CanTeen, we get that. We provide vital services tailored to the individual’s specific needs and cancer experience.

Our team of specially trained Psychosocial Support Workers and Youth Workers offer a range of free services to rangatahi faceto-face, over the phone, over zoom, and 24/7 through our online service – CanTeen Connect.

Individual support

Our Psychosocial Support Workers provide rangatahi individual counselling, whilst Youth Workers provide one-on-one support by meeting up for a coffee or having a call. “My Psychosocial Support Worker has been amazing. She provides one to one support and helps me deal with the tough stuff by teaching me coping strategies. I call her on the phone when I need to talk, and she is always there to listen. She knows a lot of things I haven’t been able to talk to my friends about. She just gets it.” - Dayna, age 17 when she was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumour in her left lung

Peer-to-peer events and programmes

Our Youth Workers host events across Aotearoa to connect rangatahi with peers their age who are going through similar challenges. These events provide rangatahi respite from the daily struggles that cancer brings and range from surfing and rock climbing to self-care workshops and movie nights. CanTeen also offers therapeutic programmes. These provide rangatahi a space to learn self-care strategies and build resilience to face the challenges cancer brings. Programmes give rangatahi a safe space to talk about their thoughts and feelings while making life-long friendships.

Online support

Rangatahi across Aotearoa can access 24/7 support through CanTeen Connect, either online or via the app. It’s a safe space to connect, chat, and share stories with others in similar situations and counsellors are also available online or by phone seven days a week.