Raising money for CanTeen, the double act have already surpassed their $500 goal, after coaxing Brighter Access, Little Sprouts and even the council to donate.

Their friends at Craze Dance and Nick King’s Lifestyle Centre have jumped in to help, and Tori and Demi have raised around $700 in time for Bandanna Day tomorrow, October 28.

“We thought about other kids who had cancer, and we would like to just help raise money for them,” Demi said.

“Two people close to us had cancer, were diagnosed with cancer,” she said.

“I was scared and I didn’t know what to do,” Tori explained. 

Grateful to see their loved ones make it through treatment, Demi and Tori approached their parents, buzzing with ideas of how to fundraise for cancer sufferers.  

After filling a notebook with ideas, the duo decided to raise money for CanTeen, an organisation which provides practical and emotional support for young people confronted with cancer. This includes counselling services, online resources and peer support programs.

“People who have cancer, they get to go to a camp and forget about their cancer and do fun things and that,” Tori said.

The community embraced the pair from the start, and Demi and Tori raised over $160 at the Ashford Salami Festival and more than $150 at the locally hosted Koshiki Contact Karate Country Championships on October 15-16.

“We’re really proud of them,” Demi’s mum Sharon Youman said.

The girls’ initial $500 target will be enough to support two young people to attend a new member program to connect with other teens struggling with similar trials, and to find out more about CanTeen.

Tori and Demi have not finished yet, and will be selling bandannas and pens in front of Freckles Cafe on Byron Street today and tomorrow from around 3.30-4pm. 

“There’s lots of different bandannas to choose from,” Demi said.