Mayors across Aotearoa step up for Kiwi kids with cancer

Our inaugural Miracle Makers: Mayoral Challenge for Childhood Cancer is here!

With the help of our Patron and former Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult, we’re inviting mayors from all over Aotearoa to roll up their sleeves for this year’s Street Appeal.

On Friday 14 and Saturday 15 March, they’ll grab a collection bucket and go head-to-head to see who can raise the most funds for tamariki with cancer and their whānau.

So far, 18 mayors and counting from Whangārei to Invercargill have answered the call, with more signing up every day. Even big city leaders like Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger are joining the challenge, proving that no matter how busy things get, there’s always time to give back.

Jim Boult personally put the challenge out to his mayoral colleagues nation-wide.

“This challenge started from my time as mayor, standing outside a supermarket with a collection bucket. It was a small effort, but people gave generously because they knew it was for a cause that truly matters. Now, I’m thrilled to see mayors across the country taking up the challenge to help Kiwi kids with cancer.

“I’ve been involved with Child Cancer Foundation for decades, but one conversation will stay with me forever—a 10-year-old girl, terminally ill, told my wife Karen she wasn’t afraid of dying, just of being forgotten. That’s why I do this. That’s why I asked these mayors to step up. So these brave children, and their families, know they are never alone.”

For the families we support, the journey through childhood cancer is long and incredibly tough. Every week, three more Kiwi families receive the devastating news that their child has cancer, and their world is turned upside down overnight.

With no government funding, we rely entirely on the generosity of New Zealanders to be able to continue providing essential support to these families.

That’s why each mayors’ involvement in our Street Appeal on 14-15 March is so powerful. By leading from the front, they’re showing their communities that everyone can take a moment to make a huge difference.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a challenge without a winner! The mayor who raises the most by the end of March will be crowned our 2025 Miracle Maker Mayor, earning nationwide bragging rights and an official certificate from Child Cancer Foundation.

How you can get involved

It’s easy to support your mayor in their fundraising efforts:
✅ Donate in person at their collection site
✅ Give online at childcancer.org.nz/donate and select your mayor as your reason for donating
✅ Text your mayor’s full name to 3457 to donate $3 instantly—anytime, as often as you like

Visit your local mayor at their collection site below:

Every donation helps us continue our work so that families facing childhood cancer don’t have to go through it alone. Let’s get behind our mayors and make a real difference together!