Light a Candle Trivia Quiz

Answer: Amnesty International

Lawyer Peter Benenson saw a newspaper report of two Portuguese men sentenced to a lengthy gaol term for the seemingly insignificant crime of making a toast to liberty. In a country ruled by an authoritarian government, speaking out against the government could make one a prisoner of conscience. Peter Benenson began working with his friend Eric Baker who was already involved with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The outrage felt by Benenson and Baker garnered support and a permanent organisation swiftly evolved and grew, gaining members and support from all sides of British politics. September of 1962 saw the organisation call itself Amnesty International and their work carries on into the 21st century.

Membership in Amnesty International grew to 200,000 by 1979 and to over three million people in 150 countries by the 1990s. Their goal is for everyone to live in world where the rights embodied in the 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' are enjoyed by all. The organisation's work saw it win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.

Amnesty International's logo, a candle and barbed wire, was inspired by a Chinese proverb. 'It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.'

Answer: Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease appearing when a baby inherits a cystic fibrosis gene from both parents. An exocrine condition, it results in overly thick and tenacious secretions in the lungs, airways and the digestive tract. While some aspects of the disease can be managed with medications, it's the respiratory system which usually causes great distress to a CF sufferer. Therapy must start from a very young age with parents being taught how to administer chest physiotherapy and inhalation treatments to maintain their child's health. Lung complications are the usual cause of a CF patient's death, but lifespans have improved greatly over the last few decades. Lung transplants have literally given CF patients a new lease on life, giving many a chance to have a childhood after having a chronic condition since birth.

Cystic Fibrosis Australia uses monies from Crazy Hair Day and other fundraising activities for research, support and advocacy for sufferers, and scholarships for the education of nurses, physiotherapists and the like who work in the field.

Answer: Cancer

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea asks participants to host a morning tea and invite colleagues and friends to join them and donate something to a worthy cause. Money raised goes to Cancer Council Australia which supports, advises and advocates for cancer sufferers, educates the public and medical professionals, develops guidelines for cancer treatment based on empirical evidence, and works to prevent cancer.

Another way the organisation raises money is by selling products designed to help prevent cancer by preventing overexposure to the sun, a major problem in Australia. Cancer Council Australia sells clothing, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, cosmetics and other items designed to keep the harsh sun from damaging Australian skin.

Answer: Red nose

Selling red noses isn't the only way SIDS and Kids raises money but the most obvious to the community. People wear red noses or badges, put badges on their cars and trucks, or otherwise display their support for the organisation. SIDS and Kids works to save the lives of babies with research and education, and also to help bereaved family members after the loss of a child.

SIDS and Kids and other groups around the world have had a phenomenal success rate. The number of babies lost to SIDS in Australia in 2007 is a quarter of what is was in 1981 - the rate was just over two babies lost to SIDS per 1,000 live births and is now down to under 0.5 per 1,000 live births. Amazing, but it will be better when it's at 0. The wonder of those statistics lies in the fact that it's very simple measures taken by the parents which have made the difference, all guided by world-wide research into SIDS.

There is also a Red Nose Day in the UK run by Comic Relief, a charity which helps alleviate poverty around the world. Both the Aussie and UK Red Nose Days are worthy causes even if very different.

Answer: Sleeping out in the cold

The first Mission Australia Sleepout took place in a pedestrian mall in the middle of Sydney, Australia's largest city. It's now spread to other towns and cities. Participants from all walks of life spend a winter's night outside, collecting sponsorship money from others for their efforts.

Mission Australia is a Christian organisation working in the community to help those who have lost their way regain their spirit and independence. In 2013 alone, over 300,000 people were helped in various ways ranging from food kitchens, assistance with education and training, shelter for the homeless and family mediation.

Answer: Jeans

The Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is an Aussie research organisation with the aim of performing research to enable prevention and treatment of childhood illnesses, and improving quality of life. Since 1994, over $60 million has been raised for this worthy institution. Research in the early 2010s has focussed on childhood cancers, blindness and epilepsy. The group's eye genetic scientists had already detected a dozen genes responsible for genetic blindness in children by 2014.

There is also a Jeans for Genes day in the UK which began in 1996. It has a similar aim in that it raises money for a different and unconnected organisation (Genetic Disorders UK) which provides support for families affected by genetic disorders.

Answer: Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer tends to strike women over the age of fifty and part of the reason it's hard to detect is that the symptoms are very non-specific. Raising awareness of this disease which kills one woman in Australia every ten hours will make women less shy of asking for possibly appropriate investigations which, if done early, may save their life.

Events in Australia which raise money for research into ovarian cancer include the selling of teal ribbons, sporting events, afternoon teas for which guests are asked to donate to the cause, fashion shows and craft exhibitions. Ovarian Cancer Australia is the recipient of the fundraising efforts. The money is dedicated to educating the Australian public about the symptoms and risks of the disease, providing information and support to those with ovarian cancer, and research which will improve survival rates and the quality of life for those affected by the disease.

Answer: McHappy Day

Say what you want about McDonald's, nothing bad can be said about Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) which build and operate houses for families of ill children to live in while their kids are in hospital. In Australia where distances from a home to a major children's hospital can be vast, parents of a child undergoing treatment can stay in a Ronald McDonald house near the hospital rather than spend money on hotel or other accommodation. Parents of children with serious and/or chronic conditions can find Ronald McDonald Houses to be place of refuge and comfort, bonding with other parents going through similar experiences.

On McHappy Day in Australia, a portion of the sale price of every Big Mac sold that day goes to RMHC. Celebrities from fields such as acting, music or sport are celebrity ambassadors for McHappy Day and work on the counter selling burgers and raising money for RMHC in a few stores around the country.

Answer: Purple

There are different types of epilepsy but they all arise from irregular electrical activity in the brain. Some people may have a seizure in front of you but you won't realise it as all you will see is the person appear to become vague and stop what they are doing. You might simply think they are day-dreaming but it's more complicated than that, and called an absence seizure. While the symptoms appear 'mild' they, can severely interfere with learning if it happens dozens of time a day. The type of seizure most people think of when epilepsy is spoken of is the tonic-clonic seizure where a person can drop to the ground and begin jerking one or more limbs, often losing consciousness. Both forms of epilepsy can be dangerous. While many people with epilepsy have their condition controlled with medication and live a life no different to anyone else, it's not the case for everyone.

Epilepsy Australia uses purple as a motif for their fundraising efforts, selling purple toys, pens, badges, key rings and similar items. Dressing in purple for the day means participants can either ask people around them for a donation as well as donating themselves, or institutions such as schools collect a gold coin ($1 or $2) from a child wearing purple on the day.

Like many similar organisations, Epilepsy Australia uses the money raised for research, helping patients and their families, raising awareness (especially in indigenous communities), and being an advocate for people living with epilepsy to improve their quality of life.

Answer: Old mobile (cell) phones

Hospitals and clinics aren't the most welcoming of places so the Sony Foundation and Canteen work together to raise money for centres of excellence for youth cancer around Australia. These centres will provide cancer patients with a less intimidating and more youth-oriented facility as they struggle with their illness. The first centre was opened in 2013 within the environs of the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.

Canteen and the Sony Foundation created www.youcan.org.au to oversee the collection of old mobile phones. The phones sent to the organisation are either recycled (for the valuable metals in the phone) or refurbished and sold. With millions of mobile phone languishing unloved in Australian homes, it's an excellent way of helping clear clutter and raise money for a very worthy cause.

This isn't the only organisation in the world or even in Australia to make use of unwanted mobile phones, so look around to see if a charity can make use of the phone gathering dust in your home. :-)