Kenzie’s Gift is a registered charity in New Zealand (Aotearoa) dedicated to supporting children (tamariki) and young adults (mātātahi) affected by serious illness or grief.
We provide professional therapy, practical resources, and evidence-based mental health support to help them navigate these difficult times.
We believe no young person should go through grief or serious illness alone. Our mission is to provide accessible, high-quality mental health support so young people can develop resilience, maintain friendships, and thrive at school. Through personalised therapy, support kits, and educational resources, we ensure families get the right support at the right time.
What We Do
No two families are the same, so we customise our approach to meet specific needs. Younger children often benefit from creative expression—through art, play, or storytelling—while older teens and young adults benefit from talk therapy. This adaptable approach helps children and young adults better understand difficult emotions, communicate effectively, and develop confidence for facing uncertainty.
Our psychologists and psychotherapists work with young people to address the unique emotional challenges that come with cancer, serious illness, or grief. We focus on age-appropriate therapy, ensuring that younger children (tamariki) receive gentle explanations and support, while teenagers benefit from goal-setting and practical coping techniques.
We provide up to 12 fully funded 1-on-1 therapy sessions with registered mental health professionals for children (tamariki) and young people (mātātahi) throughout New Zealand (Aotearoa).
Our support kits are designed for children (tamariki), young people (mātātahi) and parents (mātua) and caregivers who are affected by serious illness - including cancer (mate pukupuku) - and grief.
Backed by our team of therapists’ insights, our free online resources are full of helpful tips for tamariki / children, mātātahi / young people and their whānau who are affected by serious illness or grief.
Superhero Friday (By Kenzie's Gift) is a fundraiser that provides an opportunity for schools to teach their pupils how to navigate difficult emotions in a fun and interactive way.
The Grief Podcast is brought to you by Kenzie’s Gift and SkyCity Auckland Community Trust.
We help young kiwis aged between 3 to 24 years old:
Who have a parent or primary caregiver with a terminal or life-limiting illness, including cancer (mate pukupuku)
Whose parent, primary caregiver or sibling have died
Who has a serious, usually long-term or life-limiting illness including cancer (mate pukupuku)
Kenzie’s Gift has assisted over 6,000 families throughout New Zealand, from larger urban areas like Auckland to rural communities in need of specialised care. Parents often share how our services reduce their children’s anxiety, improve family communication, and provide the resilience needed to handle major life changes. We measure success not just in the number of children and young adults we see, but in the depth of personal connections and positive outcomes that families experience long after our support has ended.
Serving tamariki and mātātahi across Aotearoa.
Referrals triaged by Dr. Freyja Mann, Clinical Psychologist.
Therapists undergo police checks, child safety checks, and annual reviews.
Safeguarding sensitive information is paramount.
Over 6,000 tamariki and mātātahi supported.
Fill out the form below to see if we can help you and your whānau with therapy. We check our emails regularly, so you can expect to hear from Dr Freyja Mann within 2-3 working days to start making a plan for support. For other enquiries, including media, please contact us.
Request One-to-One Therapy
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Our ability to provide free or low-cost therapy sessions, online resources, support kits and awareness initiatives depends on the generosity of donors, volunteers, and community supporters. By contributing, you enable children and teenagers to receive grief support and therapy, cancer support, and mental health services tailored to their age and circumstances.
Every donation you make helps us support young Kiwis facing the death or serious illness of a parent or sibling. At this tough time in their lives, Kenzie’s Gift is there to provide real, professional support when and where it’s needed.
Hold your own event, partner with a local group, or run a sponsored challenge. Every fundraiser helps us expand our reach to more Kiwi families in need.
Whether you make a donation or host a fundraiser, your support ensures that tamariki and mātātahi receive the compassionate care they deserve.
Founded in memory of Nic Russell’s 3 year old daughter, Kenzie, Kenzie’s Gift honours her legacy by supporting children, teenagers and young adults across Aotearoa. Driven by personal experience and professional expertise, our team partners with local communities, volunteers, and donors to deliver personalised care. Through empathy, knowledge, and a commitment to positive mental health, we strive to be a guiding hand for any family grappling with serious illness or grief.
As a charity, we don’t receive any government funding and rely on the amazing generosity of our supporters to keep our essential mental health services running.
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Kenzie's Gift is a registered charity under the Charities Act 2005 (CC21425)
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