We are excited to announce that Clinique, the iconic cosmetics brand, has chosen You Can as the charity partner for their latest digital campaign.
It’s well known that dancing is great for our health, helping us keep active while having loads of fun, but from July 11, dance is also helping continue Sony Foundation’s fight against youth cancer thanks to Clinique’s 3-Step Virtual Dance Party.
To bring the 3-Step Virtual Dance Party to life, Clinique enlisted the help of Kate Wormald from So You Think You Can Dance to choreograph a set of moves that mimic the 3-Steps of Clinique’s iconic skin care system. Simple, yet edgy, the steps are easy to pick up in her online tutorials, and once you have the moves mastered, getting involved is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
Step 1 – Go into store and collect your free sample of 3-Step, Clinique’s skin care system which cleanses, exfoliates and moisturises to help create your best skin yet!
Step 2 – Log onto Cliniquetv.com.au and upload a video or photograph of yourself busting your freshest 3-Step move. Make sure you tell all your friends to join your 3-Step party for the chance to win some great prizes from Sony, Clinique, Fitness First and Brasilfit.
Step 3 – Let Clinique donate $1 for every person who joins to You Can.
It’s fun, it’s easy, you don’t even have to leave your house. And remember, the more people who join, the more money Clinique will donate to You Can.
For full details of the 3-Step Virtual Dance Party and how your dance can help a good cause, check out www.cliniquetv.com.au.
On Saturday, July 10, Sony Foundation held a star-studded event to launch Fashion4Ward. Held at BLUE Hotel’s Water Bar, at the spectacular Woolloomooloo Wharf, the launch was a preview of next year’s major fashion industry fundraiser.
Fashion4Ward is all about the fusion of fashion and music – where glamour and rock collide in the name of a very good cause. The launch of Fashion4Ward brought together collections from leading Australian designers, Alex Perry, Collette Dinnigan and J’Aton, with performances from Sony Music artists Rogue Traders and Amy Meredith. The launch event featured contestants from Australia’s Next Top Model on the catwalk and will screen in an upcoming episode of the series.
Over 300 people gathered for the glamorous night including Sony Foundation ambassadors Alex Perry and Emma Freedman, Australia’s Next Top Model judges Sarah Murdoch, Charlotte Dawson and Jez Smith, as well Erin McNaught, Danny Clayton, Lizzy Lovette, Geoff Huegill and Renee Bargh.
Funds raised at Fashion4Ward will go towards Sony Foundation’s You Can campaign to help build youth cancer wards across the country. Who said fashion is only for fun?
On Monday, 17 May, Socceroos captain Lucas Neill, Australian Cricket captain Ricky Ponting, Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom and Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, joined with other captains of sport, the arts, business and politics at Sony Foundation’s Australian Captains’ Dinner to generate awareness of the You Can campaign.
The evening, held at the magnificent Astral Restaurant, Star City, attracted well-known Australian leaders and champions, past and present, including The Hon. Tony Abbott MP, The Hon. Bob Hawke AC, John Eales AM, Grant Hackett OAM and Libby Trickett OAM. Other guests included Peter Overton, Jessica Rowe, Brett Lee, Matt Preston, Barry O’Farrell MP, Natarsha Belling, Natalie Gruzlewski, Tom Williams, Samantha Armytage and the evening’s charismatic host, Alan Jones AO.
In a night celebrating Australian leadership, Sony Foundation Ambassador Lucas Neill was the first to call on Australian heroes to use their influence to secure the survival of our 15 to 30 year olds, asking his fellow leaders to “Stand shoulder to shoulder with Australian teenagers, to ensure every young person has the chance to become one of our next Australian Captains”.
In his address Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, encouraged all the captains in the room to get behind the You Can campaign, “I'm confident we're going to get there - drag out your mobile phones, the old ones, all those loitering in your top drawer at the office. It makes a difference. Hop into it, it's worthwhile”.
With the help and support of Sony Foundation corporate partners Starcom and Hausmann Communications, You Can has captured the minds, pens and microphones of Australia’s media. Follow the below links to read some of this valuable coverage. This is just a taste of things to come!
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/03/you-can-recycles-your-phone-for-canteen/
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/03/recycle-your-old-mobile-for-youth-cancer/
http://www.techdaily.com.au/tbn/?p=290
http://www.gmagazine.com.au/news/1850/recycle-your-phone-yes-you-can
Sony Music star and Sony Foundation ambassador Stan Walker has given up much of his rare spare time to support and promote You Can. From Sydney FC training appearances to a photo shoot with CanTeen members – Stan never ceases to make those around him smile. His message is a powerful one – a family history of cancer and the death of his 17 year old cousin to the disease, means Stan knows only too well the nightmare facing teenagers with cancer. Sadly his first hand experience makes Stan appreciate the difference specialised and age-appropriate services will make to this nightmare, not only for the patient but also for their family and friends.
Stan recently shared his story with That’s Life magazine. To read this article visit: http://www.thatslife.com.au/article.asp?ArticleID=3278
After months of preparation it is with great pride we announce the official launch of Sony Foundation and CanTeen’s You Can campaign to build youth cancer centres of excellence across Australia.
Why are we raising money for youth cancer centres?
In Australia, teenagers and young adults fall into a health gap. Like a forgotten generation, those over 16 are currently treated in wards established with much older people in mind, which has a profound impact on their treatment and their survival.
Sony Foundation and CanTeen are working together to give our most precious resource, our youth, a fighting chance, by building specialised and age-appropriate youth cancer centres.
The creation of these centres virtually guarantees an increase in the survival rates, through the collaboration of medical experts, the development of specialised treatments and the opportunity for young people to be amongst peers in a dedicated, encouraging environment.
Some will be built from scratch others will be created by renovating existing wards. All will take a lot of hard work, money and commitment. That’s why we need your help and by help we don’t mean money – we just want your old mobile phones!
Why mobile phones?
It is estimated that there are anywhere from 15 to 20 million unwanted phones in Australian homes. On average, Australians upgrade or change their phone every 18 months. This means there is a continuous supply of mobile phones becoming obsolete each year.
Sony Foundation has partnered with Folamh, an Irish recycling company, to swap old mobile phones for cash. The monies raised will be used for the development of youth cancer centres. All donated phones will be recycled for reuse. So simply by donating an old mobile phone, Australians can directly contribute to You Can’s fundraising appeal, whilst also helping to create a greener planet. Genius!
To make donating phones as simple as possible we have developed a free-post You Can envelope. Over the next twelve months over 20 million You Can envelopes will be inserted in national newspapers and magazines – sending the You Can message into people’s homes – where their phones are!
Other easy ways to donate your phone include downloading and printing a pre-paid You Can envelope from the campaign website –www.youcan.org.au. You can also use the website to find your nearest You Can phone collection bin – located in Sony Centre stores and other retail outlets across Australia.
So go on - donate yours today. No one likes a hoarder!
Sydney’s A- list turned out to celebrate the event of a lifetime – Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT- on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday 2 March at the regal City Recital Hall.
The star-studded night included emotional and insightful Q & As between the night’s host, Molly Meldrum, and three of Michael Jackson’s closest friends. Acclaimed THIS IS IT director Kenny Ortega praised Australian fans for their dedication as did choreographer extraordinaire Travis Payne and Michael Jackson’s brother Jackie Jackson.
Not only was the night a celebration of the King of Pop with exclusive footage and performances but it was also a great success for You Can with celebrities galore donating their old mobile phones. Everyone from Guy Sebastian and Delta Goodrem to Nacho Pop and Richard Reid showed their support for Sony Foundation and CanTeen’s initiative.
Also enjoying the spectacular display of talent were Sony Foundation ambassadors Emma Freedman and Dr John D’Arcy.
Not only did attendees have the opportunity to donate their phone on the night but all guests also received a You Can pre-paid envelope to take home- making it easy for them to donate the phones kicking around their bottom drawer.
The night ended on a dramatic high with Guy Sebastian and Delta Goodrem’s emotional rendition of Earth Song. This iconic song’s message has never been more relevant. Donate your old mobile phone for recycling today.
Sony Foundation thanks Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for a wonderful night of entertainment and their generous support of You Can.
Stan’s the man! Australia’s newest Idol, Stan Walker, has joined Sony Foundation as an official ambassador. The charismatic singer will aid in raising the profile of the Foundation as we take our innovative youth programs into the public domain.
For Stan, who has a family history of cancer, the Foundation’s latest campaign to build specialised cancer wards for 15-30 year olds is of particular significance.
"My cousin passed away from cancer last year, he was only 17. It was heartbreaking and the fact he was sharing a ward with old people made it worse. I feel privileged to be able to support the Sony Foundation in this important campaign,” Walker said.
One in 100 Australians is diagnosed with cancer before the age of 30 and in the last 25 years there has been virtually no improvement in survival outcomes for the 15 to 30 age group. Sony Foundation, along with charity partner CanTeen, is determined to provide teenage and young adult cancer sufferers with the specialised services they deserve.
For Stan Walker – using his new found success to do good is a priority. “My win is so much bigger than me,” he says. “It’s for everyone who has ever done it tough”.
Stan joins a host of high-profile ambassadors including Socceroo stars Lucas Neill and Tim Cahill who have dedicated their time, energy and public profile to help the Foundation achieve its mission to assist Australia’s youth and foster their talents.
On Saturday, 31 October, Sony Foundation helped bring smiles to the faces of sick kids at Sydney’s Westmead Children’s Hospital by organising a visit from Australian Idol’s top five.
Stan, James, Toby, Nathan and Hayley took time out of their hectic Idol schedules and calmed any pre-show nerves by spending the morning entertaining and interacting with dozens of thrilled children, their families and some big fans on the nursing staff.
Many of the kids gave the singers a run for their money with guitar duels, duets and sing-a-long’s. The Idol’s surprise visit to several wards brought some much needed excitement to the children, many of whom have spent long and arduous weeks or months in hospital.
However, the smiles were not reserved for the patients – the Idols were equally moved by the experience, and Nathan and Hayley, who have both spent time at Westmead Children’s Hospital in their younger years, were delighted to be able to raise the kid’s spirits for a morning.
This visit came just two days after the Idols brought the house down with their rendition of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ at Sony Foundation's Wharf4Ward event held at Sydney’s Woolloomooloo Wharf. The event raised a staggering $300,000 to help build specialised cancer wards for teens and young adults throughout Australia.
In March 2009, Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer hosted the Flood & Fire Benefit at Astral Restaurant, Star City in conjunction with Sony Foundation, raising well in excess of $200,000 for the young victims of the fire and floods which devastated Queensland and Victoria.
Lucas Neill proudly became a formal Ambassador, following this initial introduction to the work of Sony Foundation. Now he and the Foundation have teamed up with CanTeen to champion a cause that is aimed at improving survival outcomes for young Australians facing cancer.
After leading his Socceroos side out against the Netherlands at Sydney Football Stadium on 10 October, Socceroo Captain Lucas used his very limited time off the next morning to meet CanTeen members Linton and Camille Fyfe, and Frank and Mark Aboona, for a photo shoot with OK! magazine.
Lucas surprised the teenagers by presenting each with an official Socceroo jersey and football, happily posing for photos and autographing each gift with a personal message. The young fans also got an opportunity to show off their own skills by trying out some headers with Lucas, or challenging him by way of their own fancy footwork with the round ball.
All this fun was underlined by a serious message which Lucas wants the whole nation to get behind.
“One in 100 Australians is diagnosed with cancer by the age of 30. Our mission is to raise $15 million in the next 5 years and establish a cancer service for 15 to 30 year olds right across the country.It’s not fair that kids have to be put through this,” he says of the CanTeen members. “But then you see them go on to be doctors, scientists and professional sportspeople, and all the things that cancer might deny them the opportunity to do if we don’t help them.”
With cancer the leading cause of disease-related death amongst Australia’s teenagers, there is an obvious and urgent need for action. Working together with CanTeen, The Australian Organisation for Young People Living with Cancer, Sony Foundation’s long term aim is to fund the establishment of teen and young adult cancer wards throughout the country. These wards will address the lack of improvement in cancer survival for this age group, by providing a focus for collaboration amongst medical professionals, facilitating the development of clinical trials, encouraging specialist training and allowing for the delivery of a psychosocial support service equipped to deal with the issues specific to this age group.
One of our first fundraising efforts will see a range of supporters gather at Woolloomooloo Wharf on 29 October for Wharf4Ward, a new event on the Foundation’s calendar.
Despite having to return to the UK to play football for Everton alongside best friend and fellow Sony Foundation Ambassador, Tim Cahill, Lucas has pledged his support for Wharf4Ward by auctioning his first autographed Everton strip since signing with the EPL club. He and Tim are also offering up an exclusive meet and greet with the Socceroo stars on the eve of the 2010 World Cup which will be one of many special prizes on offer at this signature, sold-out event.
For more images of the OK! Magazine shoot with Lucas Neill, please view our photo gallery.
Sony Foundation is proud to be amongst the first to embrace new mobile phone technology, by delivering an innovative donation service to their many loyal supporters. The Foundation has partnered with gomeeki, a leading Australian interactive technology agency, integrating their sophisticated mobile payments solution into the campaign to enable supporters to make payments through their mobile devices using PayPal or major credit / debit cards.
In the meantime we are also launching a new campaign, ‘Buy-a-Builder’, a fundraising mechanism that asks people to buy a customisable virtual builder (or avatar) and send him/her to work in an effort to raise funds to build age appropriate wards to treat teenage and young adult cancer patients.
Sony Foundation Executive Director, Dr Louise Messara says “Buy-a-Builder is Sony Foundation’s public call to action. We wanted something that gives people a tangible sense of what their contribution is a part of, no matter how big or small their donation is. With gomeeki’s help we are able to reach the very age group we are aiming to provide better cancer services for – the teen and young adult market, for whom mobile devices are the communication tool of choice. This technology will make donating an interactive experience, allowing Australian to donate wherever and whenever they wish.”
The public can access the Buy-a-Builder program via website, mobile phone or by purchasing a donation card in store at Sony Centres. All mechanisms will drive supporters of the initiative to the website www.buyabuilder.com.au. This site, set up as a virtual construction site, allows the public to create a unique ‘virtual brickie’ or ‘virtual chippie’ etc, in their own image. These builders will then join the army of supporters, whose donations are contributing to building teenage and young adult cancer wards around the country.
For more details on the Buy-A-Builder campaign, see www.buyabuilder.com.au or to make a donation via our mobile donation service. SMS ‘Donate” to 193 123. SMS cost $1.10. Help number 1800 444 407.
March saw Socceroo stars Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer join forces with Sony Foundation Australia to stage a black tie benefit dinner in support of the bushfire and flood disasters that ravaged Victoria and Queensland in early 2009.
Following the resounding success of the Fire & Flood Benefit, Lucas and Tim have become closely involved with our other programs and are now proud to strengthen that association by joining a growing list of official Sony Foundation Ambassadors. This exciting affiliation places them alongside other notable Australians from entertainment, business and sport, including John Eales AM, Mark Taylor AO and Dr John D’Arcy.
The role will see Lucas and Tim aid in raising our profile as we take the Foundation’s innovative youth programs into the public domain and actively engage the Australian public in our fundraising activities and campaigns.
“As a young player trying to make it in the world of football, having someone support, invest and believe in my potential helped me rise to the top of my game. Improving opportunities for other young Australians is therefore really close to my heart.In joining as an Ambassador for Sony Foundation, I can witness firsthand the teamwork that has proven so successful in developing talent and improving outcomes for youth who find themselves in situations less fortunate than me. The power of Sony Foundation to transform young lives across so many areas of life is remarkable and something I’m proud to be actively involved with in my home country,” said Lucas, Captain of the Socceroos.
As the first team to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Socceroos have a punishing calendar of matches to complete in the lead up to the biggest sporting event across the globe. Despite their busy international and Club match schedule, both athletes have pledged support for our three major charity beneficiaries by agreeing to join us for several Sony Foundation signature events during the next year.
We are delighted to welcome Lucas and Tim to the Sony Foundation family where they join many other accomplished Australians who so generously donate their time in support of our many important youth programs.
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