Opinion & Perspectives
16 February, 2026
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: simple acts of kindness and disease keeping kids from classrooms
Read the thoughts of people in the area and beyond.
The ripple effect of kindness
I AM writing to share a small moment that reminded me how powerful kindness can be, especially when someone is quietly struggling.
Recently, I lost my dog Titan, who had been by my side for 11 years.
To call him a pet doesn’t come close to capturing what he meant to me. He was my constant companion, my comfort, and the source of the purest affection I have ever known.
In many ways, he was family — and more than that, he was my emotional anchor.
Since his passing, I have been feeling deeply low.
Grief can be isolating, and there are days when the darkness feels overwhelming. Words don’t really do justice to what Titan meant to me or how heavy his absence is.
On Monday, 2 February, something unexpected happened.
A young man who I now know to be named Sam, noticed that my pay hadn’t gone into my account.
Without hesitation or expectation, he bought me the coffee I was attempting to buy.
It may seem like a small gesture, but in that moment, it was a light in my darkness.
That simple act of compassion lifted my spirits more than Sam could possibly know.
It reminded me that even when life feels unbearably heavy, kindness still exists - often in the most ordinary, unassuming ways.
We hear a lot about what’s wrong in the world, but I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge what’s right.
One small act of kindness can ripple outward, restoring hope and reminding someone that they are seen and cared for.
Thank you, Sam, for your compassion. And thank you to everyone who chooses kindness — you may never fully know the impact you have, but it matters more than you realise.
Celestina Giuliano
St Arnaud
Single biggest tragedy taking kids out of classrooms
AS AUSTRALIAN children return to school, hundreds will not.
Their desks sit empty as they fight blood cancer – the single biggest disease threatening the lives of school-aged children in Australia today.
This year alone, around 350 children will be diagnosed with blood cancer.
It now accounts for more than one in three childhood cancers, yet remains a largely hidden national tragedy.
A blood cancer diagnosis is sudden and brutal. Children are forced out of classrooms and into hospital wards, enduring aggressive treatment that can last years. Many miss 40 to 60 per cent of school in their first year alone, with some absent for up to 18 months. The impacts on learning, wellbeing and social development are profound and long-lasting.
Over the past two decades, blood cancer incidence among children aged five to 14 has risen by almost 30 per cent. If this trend continues, more than 400 children a year could face this devastating diagnosis within the next decade.
At the Leukaemia Foundation, we see the toll this takes on children and families every day – emotionally, financially and socially.
While we provide vital accommodation, transport, education and support services, and invest in life-saving research, we cannot do it alone.
As the World’s Greatest Shave launches nationally, I urge Australians to stand with these children and all Australians impacted by blood cancer. Participating by shaving, cutting or colouring your hair helps ensure no person faces blood cancer without support.
Register to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave at worldsgreatestshave.com or call 1800 500 088.
Chris Tanti
CEO, Leukaemia Foundation
Read More: Local