25/05/2026
There are moments that remind us why we do what we do.
Last semester, one of the incredible students completing their internship with us through Griffith University spent time researching rare cancers and building resources designed to help people newly diagnosed navigate those overwhelming first days and weeks.
Like every student who joins us, they were told something we truly believe:
“One day, the work you do here is going to make a difference in someone’s life.”
None of us realised just how close to home that difference would be.
Recently, this student’s family received devastating news. A loved one had been diagnosed with a rare cancer.
In the middle of the fear, uncertainty and endless questions that come with hearing the words “you have cancer”, they remembered the work they had done during their internship.
By chance, this was one of the rare cancers they had researched.
They went back to their notes. They found the information. They shared easy to understand explanations, Australian support resources and practical guidance to help their family member understand what was happening and what came next.
And it helped ease their fears.
This is why the Griffith University internship program with Without a Ribbon matters.
Our students are not making coffee, emptying bins or even patting puppies. They are helping research rare cancers, building resources and creating information that may one day become a lifeline for someone facing one of the hardest moments of their life.
Rare cancers are often isolating. Information can be difficult to find. Families can feel alone.
But sometimes, knowledge changes everything.
To our anonymous student and their family, Thank you, for allowing us to share this story. Your experience reminds us all that every piece of research, every resource and every hour volunteered can make a real difference.
Because behind every diagnosis is a person, a family and a story.
