Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea at Parliament House

Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is a landmark event for Cancer Council. Cancer Council is encouraging people across Australia to gather their friends, family or workmates in-person or virtually, for a cup of tea and a bite to eat whilst raising money to support Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea and to help those affected by cancer. The official date is 27 May 2021, however you can host your tea anytime throughout May or June.   

Funds raised through the morning tea’s help support Cancer Council’s life-saving cancer research, prevention, advocacy and support programs (like Cancer Council 13 11 20 Information and Support service) for people facing cancer. 

2021 is the 28^th year of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea and to celebrate we hosted a Biggest Morning Tea at Parliament House on the 27^th May. Cancer Council was severely impacted by COVID-19 in 2020 as it meant many of our fundraising events couldn’t go ahead as they normally would. This year, Cancer Council hopes to recruit over 21,000 generous morning tea hosts and raise over $7 million nationally to help everyone affected by cancer right across Australia.  

It is estimated around 145,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and there is an estimated 1.1 million Australians currently living with cancer, so the morning tea gave us an opportunity to share a cuppa with politicians and talk about some of the issues affecting people living with cancer. 

Federal Minister for Health, the Honorable Greg Hunt attended the event where he spoke about his priorities in cancer and Erik Carapetian shared his personal story of surviving bowel cancer. Erik was fit, healthy and active when he was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer in April 2020. Erik has recovered well and is now passionate about encouraging others to participate in bowel cancer screening.