It's such an honour to have our Connor

Connor Hourigan is the face of the 2006 Child Cancer Foundation Appeal

2006 Child Cancer Foundation Annual Appeal

The Child Cancer Foundation's awareness week takes place between March 27th and April 2nd 2006, with the nationwide street appeal day on March 31st.

In 2005 Lexi Primrose (then 3 years) was the Foundation’s young ambassador, appearing on television and making media appearances on behalf of children with cancer. Lexi and the Primrose family did a wonderful job of raising the awareness of children with cancer and their families in New Zealand and the Foundation is very grateful to them.

This year Lexi hands over her ‘baton’ to four year old Connor Hourigan of Carterton. Connor will take over where Lexi left off, appearing in the 2006 television advertisement for the Child Cancer Foundation and subsequent media.

Like Lexi, Connor is currently winning her fight with childhood cancer after an intense time for her family, a time which included an operation to remove Connor’s kidney, several months of chemotherapy and the birth of her new baby brother. Connor’s diagnosis was triggered by a fall at play centre that seemed to unearth a deeper problem. Three weeks after the fall doctors diagnosed a Wilms Tumour in her kidney.

Connor’s family includes mum Rachel, dad Dennis and brothers Dan (8yrs) and Hunter (1yr). Connor is feeling much better these days and although she is still on a cycle of check-ups she has bounced back and has lost the shyness she had as a toddler. In fact these days the bubbly 4 year old loves going for bike rides and picnics with the family, and taking a carrot to feed the ponies, which she is mad on.

The Hourigan family has been supported by the Wellington branch of the Child Cancer Foundation on their journey with childhood cancer, and have found them to be an excellent source of emotional and financial support.

Look out for the full story of Connor and her family on the Child Cancer Foundation website: www.childcancer. org.nz and keep watch for Connor on her very own TV ad at the end of March.