Amazon workers don PJs to aid kids cancer cause

Amazon Australia workers have helped raise funds and awareness for children fighting cancer by wearing their pyjamas to work. [Supplied]

Benjamin Millar

Workers at Amazon Australia’s Ravenhall fulfilment centre have helped raise funds and awareness for children fighting cancer by wearing their pyjamas to work.

The workers recently donned PJs for the day as part of the annual Amazon Goes Gold (AGG) PJammin’ initiative in support of the hundreds of Australian children who are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Amazon Australia donated $30,000 to The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Foundation as part of the day, as well as providing activity bags with handwritten notes from the team to entertain kids currently in the oncology ward.

Inbound stow assistant Sanda said while it was somewhat of a novelty to wear PJs to work, the reality for the thousands of Australians fighting cancer everyday from their hospital beds is quite serious.

“I feel privileged to raise funds for children’s cancer alongside my colleagues and I’m incredibly proud to be part of a team that is making a difference.”

Cancer is one of the leading cause of death by disease among children in many countries, with more than 750 children aged 0 to 14 diagnosed with cancer in Australia each year.

Amazon Australia’s latest donation takes to more than $100,000 the amount it will donate this year to fund children’s cancer research and support programs at children’s hospitals.

Operations director Craig Fuller said while pyjamas may have increasingly made their way into virtual offices over the past 18 months, it’s important to remember that for years this has been the battle uniform of kids fighting cancer during their treatment and recovery.

“At Amazon, we’re proud to be wearing our pyjamas at our facilities across the country to stand in unity with these children and their families,” he said.

“We hope to not only raise much needed funds and awareness, but also shine a spotlight on the incredible work that is being done by so many organisations to increase survival rates and find cures for childhood cancer.”

RCH Foundation chief executive Sue Hunt said the foundation is grateful for the ongoing support of Amazon Australia through the Amazon Goes Gold initiative.

“The generosity of the Amazon Australia team in supporting paediatric cancer research will truly transform the lives of some of the hospital’s sickest children.”