Be the Connection!

Maori and Pacific Bone Marrow Registry

When Be the Connection started helping investigate possibilities for a young boy called Jake to get a bone marrow transplant, as his only hope for a long-term cure for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, we realised that his part Samoan heritage made his chances slimmer than others. As of July 2016, there are approximately 27 million bone marrow donors worldwide and of these, there are only 7,500 Maori donors, and only 2,000 donors who identify as being of a Pacific Island heritage. Of these 1,199 identify as being Samoan. Be the Connection realised they needed to help increase those numbers, not just for Jake, but for any Maori or Pacific Islander needing a transplant.

Christmas Present Drive

Every year we help hundreds of children, who would not otherwise, wake up on Christmas morning to a Christmas present. We use our community connections to collect donations of gifts and distribute them to families and organisations in need. We started this three years ago helping about 100 children, last year we helped over 500. Your contribution of a gift for a child is always opened with a smile!

Auckland City Mission

Whether it’s a temporary set-back or a long-term issue that needs expert attention, the Auckland City Mission has been providing support to Aucklanders most in need since 1920. The Mission provides emergency food, bedding, household items, health care, social work support, activities, residential Detox, advocacy and a sense of community for those who are poor, homeless, ill, isolated or suffering from alcohol or other drug use/abuse. Be the Connection are big supporters of the Auckland City Mission.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club was formed in July 2010 in Randwick Park, Manurewa with the intention of feeding breakfast to children to enable them to reach their potential in their schooling. In the last three years they have expanded into four Primary Schools in Glen Innes. School attendances have risen as a result of the Breakfast Club, from an earlier 70% to now in the mid 90%. They collaborate with School Social Workers and Principals and set up Food Banks, Vegetable Gardens and Sports Academies. Be the Connection utilises our connections to help the needs of the Breakfast Club.

Winter Warmies

Keeping children Warm over Winter is something we are passionate about at Be The Connection! Every winter there is a need for Raincoats and Jackets for our children in need in West Auckland, so that is why we set up our own drive for Winter Warmies for children. If you're going through your children’s clothes and find Raincoats and/or Jackets that are in a good condition but are no longer used by your children, we'd be grateful if you would donate it to one of our children in need!

HOW CAN YOU HELP

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Give a donation

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Give a donation

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Give a donation

Saving the lives of Maori and Pacific People

Each year, many patients are diagnosed with leukemia or other serious blood disorders. These diseases prevent the blood cells from maturing and functioning properly. For many of these patients a bone marrow transplant is the best and only hope for a cure.

At this moment, fourteen New Zealanders of non-European descent are in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant – but their chances of getting one are low as New Zealand struggles to find enough donors.

Some 27 million people are listed on registries around the world as willing to donate bone marrow. But only 7500 are Maori and 2000 are Pacific Islanders and it is not enough to help the 14 Kiwi’s waiting.

Needing a transplant can be a matter of life and death, depending on the situation. Sometimes a bone marrow is the only option. Several people die each year in New Zealand because a suitable bone marrow donor cannot be found for them.

Males aged 18-40 with Maori and Pacific ancestry are desperately needed to give not only the 14 people waiting, but also those who will be diagnosed in the future, a better chance of survival.