About Us

All around the world there are kids who are diagnosed with, or recovering from illnesses of all shapes and forms. 

The Shandar Smith Foundation has been set up to raise funds to supply to all kids suffering from a serious illness, an Internet camera. This way, these special young people will be able to communicate with each other and share their good and bad times with others who know first hand exactly how they are feeling.

Eric Wood - Chairman

Eric Wood was involved in the early discussions with Doug Smith to set up a program to assist young children with cancer in some way. The idea of providing internet cameras to children with cancer came about following Shandar Smith's initial hair loss after receiving chemotherapy treatment. We wanted to show Shandar and other children in similar circumstances that they were not alone.

Eric and his wife Jo-Anne have been involved in community projects for most of the last twenty years or so, either through Rotary or other community groups, so when approached to be Chairman of the Shandar Smith Foundation, there was no hesitation, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The members of the Foundation committee and Trustees give freely of their time and expertise. All funds raised are channelled directly towards the furtherance of the Foundation and provision of internet cameras to kids with Cancer.

 

Doug Smith - Founder and Trustee

Hi, I am Doug and am Shandar's dad. On February 24th, 2004 Shandar passed away after a long and determined battle to beat a Cancer that was detected in early 2000. Remission and relapse seemed to be the name of the game until she could no longer fight the battle. In 2002 the Foundation was formed after seeing an opportunity for kids with Cancer to keep in contact with each other by way of the Internet and the use of web cameras. It is foreseeable that kids with all sorts of disabilities/illness may become recipients of a web camera from the foundation, allowing face-to-face contact with their friends, support groups and doctors  no matter where they live. I believe that for each web cam donated by the Foundation, that child will become part of the Foundation's "universal family" and that the memory of Shandar will live on forever because of the fight within her and the inspiration she created.

Her legacy is the inner strength she gave me that provided the drive for the establishment of the Foundation.