Ex-Real Housewife star Janet Roach’s tea for a cause
Janet Roach is more than a past “Real Housewife”. The Toorak ex-reality star has joined forces with son Jake — who suffered horrific burns in a party accident — to launch a company that donates profits to help burns survivors recover.
Inner East
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Janet Roach is more than just a past “Real Housewife”.
The Toorak ex-reality TV star and her son Jake Zogoolas have a real desire to help burns survivors through their charity, the Roach Foundation.
In 2011 Mr Zogoolas suffered burns to 70 per cent of his body in a horrific party accident.
“He had absolutely no joy for life,” Ms Roach recalls.
“I could barely get him off the couch to do anything.”
But Ms Roach, an avid gardener and tea drinker, eventually convinced her son to try a tea brew she had made.
The results, she said, were astounding.
“He said he felt like a fog had lifted from his brain and that maybe it wasn’t the end of his life,” Ms Roach said.
The pair started Raw Essential Teas, profits of which go back into the Roach Foundation, which Mr Zogoolas began to help fellow burns survivors with their recovery.
Raw Essentials now has 18 blended teas in Coles, Richies and Chemist Warehouse.
They have even started to infiltrate the American market and have also been selling online into China.
Ms Roach’s next venture is a Tea Challenge she is holding as a testament to the natural remedy ability of her teas.
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“We are looking for 20 people to enter our Tea Challenge. Ten people for a Slim Tea Challenge and 10 people for a Sleep Sea Challenge,” she said.
“The challenge will run for 28 days. The entrants will visit me at my house once a week for an hour to check on their progress.”
You can apply for the Tea Challenge at www.re-teasocietychallenge.com.
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