Each year, Thinktank employees are invited to nominate a charity close to their hearts. For every loan we settle, $100 is donated to those chosen organisations to ensure our team can give back in ways that carry personal meaning and lasting impact. 

For Charmaine van der Merwe, that cause is the McGrath Foundation.

Charmaine shares why the organisation’s work resonates so deeply with her. After losing her mum to breast cancer, she understands the impact cancer has on individuals and their families, and has nominated the Foundation in recognition of the vital support and care it provides during an incredibly difficult time.

What charity have you nominated and what do they do?

The McGrath Foundation. They fund McGrath Cancer Care Nurses, who provide free clinical, psychosocial and emotional support to people with cancer and their families. They understand how overwhelming a diagnosis and treatment can be, and the care they provide helps people feel supported, informed and less alone.

What first drew you to the cause?

My connection to this cause comes from my own family’s experience with breast cancer. My mum passed away from breast cancer at the age of 49, and it’s something I carry with me every day. Losing someone you love in that way gives you a real understanding of how difficult and overwhelming cancer can be for both the person going through it and the people around them. That’s why I feel such a strong connection to the McGrath Foundation and the care it provides.

What impact does this charity have on the community at large or on individuals affected?

The McGrath Foundation has a real impact because it helps people feel supported at a time when life can feel incredibly uncertain and overwhelming.

McGrath Cancer Care Nurses provide guidance, care and reassurance to individuals and families as they navigate treatment, and that support can make a huge difference to how people cope day to day.

On a broader level, the Foundation helps raise awareness and makes sure more Australians can access the kind of care and compassion that no one should have to go without.

Have you been working with this charity in any other way?

I haven’t been involved with the charity directly, but I feel a very personal connection to its mission because of what my family went through.

How can others get involved to make a difference?

People can get involved in lots of ways – by donating, fundraising, taking part in community events, supporting campaigns like the Pink Test or Pink Stumps Day, or simply helping raise awareness of the Foundation’s work. Every contribution helps fund more McGrath Cancer Care Nurses so more people and families can receive support when they need it most.

To get involved you can find out more here.