By 
By Ross Moyo
Volunteers are important as seen with one woman bringing bikers and travel agents to fight childhood cancer.
“Hi there, my name is Nikki Elliott. I wear many hats for volunteering for KidzCan.”
That understatement from Nicky Elliott hides 10+ years of volunteer work that has become the soul of KidzCan Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s only childhood cancer organisation.
Elliott’s first meeting with KidzCan was not in a hospital, but in travel.
“My first meeting with KidzCan was with Daniel, because he brought his child to me to be organised to go to South Africa,” she said referring to Daniel Mckenzie, Executive Director of KidzCan.
“We were talking about KidzCan and I thought, maybe this is the place I need to go and have a look. Who can I choose, who can I help, what can I do? I just figured out kids are so innocent, and the parents who have to look after them are also not sure what’s happening and what’s going on.”
That question became a movement.
The Data Behind Her Compassion
Zimbabwe has one public paediatric oncology ward — Parirenyatwa Hospital’s A4 Special Ward. It handles over 400 new childhood cancer cases per year, though the National Cancer Registry only captures 253-293 annually. An estimated 40% never reach treatment.
Most common: Leukaemia (blood cancer), Wilms Tumour (kidney), Retinoblastoma (eye cancer). 5-year survival in Zimbabwe is 20% vs 80% in high-income countries. Treatment costs US$8,000-US$15,000 per child — more than 15 years’ income for a rural family.
Transport costs are the silent killer. A return trip from Binga to Harare is US$120. Bus fare is why children abandon chemo mid-cycle. Rainbow Children’s Village was built to solve exactly that.
“Don’t ask me how long I’ve been doing it, I have no clue and I have no recollection when it actually happened,” Elliott laughs. But the records show.
Through the Travel Industry
“Through my contacts and it’s through the travel industry, that’s when I first started. Every February we get together, raise money for KidzCan, got everybody involved, got people to come and talk to us at our lunches, and then tell us all about it. Why do we need the money? What do we need? How are we going to work things out?”
February is Childhood Cancer Awareness? No — but Elliott made it hers. Her annual travel industry lunch has become a pillar. She brings tourism operators, airlines, hotels to listen to KidzCan doctors explain that childhood cancer is curable if caught early.
“When I first came here, this was very little here, quite a lot wasn’t actually here when I first started,” she says of Rainbow Children’s Village.
The Village, built by Meikles Foundation, Roundtable Zimbabwe and KidzCan with a budget of US$1.57 million, now provides free accommodation for children from more than 15km outside Harare. Phase 3 was completed in February 2025.
Vroom Vroom for Hope
Then came the second hat.
“I then also belong to a motorbiking society, and I’m talking about the vroom, vroom motorbikes. And I got them involved also with doing things for KidzCan.”
She mobilized bikers — leather, chrome, and big hearts — to do what NGOs cannot.
“People clear up your cupboards, people go to your kitchen, people go and do your books, people, okay, how are we going to help these kids? How can we entertain these kids? What can we do for these kids to make their life easier? And also in fact, if you think about it, to make the carer’s lives easier too.”
“So we also introduce the bikers here. And the kids like, love the biking community, because they always love to sit on the bikes, or have a ride just around.”
For children who spend 6 months with needles, chemo, and isolation, sitting on a Harley Davidson is medicine.
The Women’s Biking Club Worldwide
“The latest thing I’m also doing, I’m with a women’s biking club worldwide. And I was the ambassador from August to September, so I said in September we’re going to have a party for these kids. And a sister said to me, please sugar high with all these kids. I said, it’s only once. It’s only once when we do it.”
The party happened. Motorbikes arrived at Rainbow Village. Music. Children dancing with bald heads from chemo. Sugar high indeed.
“We arrived here, motorbikes arrived here, we had the kids doing all sorts of things, we had the music with the kids that come and entertain. And I just think it’s a passion.”
Why She Does It: Twice a Survivor
The deepest reason came last.
“Being twice now a survivor of cancer as an adult, I felt lonely. I felt I wasn’t heard. I felt I didn’t have people around me who could support me, explain to me, and sometimes just to listen to what I’m doing.”
Elliott is a two-time adult cancer survivor.
“So imagine the little kids. How do they feel? Some of them can’t even talk. How do they understand having the needles? How do they understand having the chemo? How do they understand any of that? So I think it’s really, really worthwhile having a look at KidzCan.”
She paints the picture no data can:
“I heard stories of people coming here, especially the carers, with just the clothes they were wearing. No nappies, no sanitary towels, no new underwear, no clothes.”
KidzCan data confirms: 70% of caregivers arrive with only what they are wearing. Most are grandmothers from rural areas. Many have never been to Harare.
“Being unique by design, because of all the colourful rainbows, and knowing that they have a place which is safe, a place they can come to, and a place where they’re good and comforted, and they don’t have to worry about going home. What are we going to do about bus fare? What are we going to do about food? What about clothes? And the fact that we can help them with that type of thing, what more can I say? KidsCan is in my heart forever.”
That heart now includes bikers, travel agents, and children who know the sound of a motorbike means someone cares.
Comments