Friday, August 28th marks the 30th anniversary of the Cancer Society's Daffodil Day – a national day of hope for the 1 in 3 New Zealanders affected by cancer. This is a significant milestone for the charity and one the Hawke's Bay branch is celebrating.
The Daffodil Day Street Appeal will go ahead in Level 2 in Hawke's Bay and across the country, except in Auckland. However, it's anticipated that the charity's fundraising and annual appeal will be heavily impacted this year due to COVID-19, with a forecast 30% loss in donations compared to 2019.
Cancer hasn't stopped for COVID and neither has the Cancer Society. Right through lockdown, the Charity continued providing practical and emotional support to Hawke's Bay families living with cancer.
The Cancer Society receives almost no direct government funding and depends on the generosity of individuals and businesses in the local community to maintain its services.
Daffodil Day is crucial to funding the charity's work providing free support services, including transport to hospital appointments, the shuttle service to treatment in Palmerston North, counselling, advocacy and therapeutic massage, as well as cancer prevention awareness and education programmes and funding research into the causes and treatment of cancer.
Each year the Hawke's Bay branch releases a new t-shirt as part of its Daffodil Day fundraising. The 2020 t-shirt is about empowering people – the message is 'I can do something to fight cancer.' There are many ways people can make a difference – by organising a fundraiser, volunteering, encouraging a family member to attend their health screening, or by personally making healthier food and exercise choices – all these actions make a difference in the fight against cancer.
While volunteer collectors will be out on the streets across Hawke's Bay this Friday, the collection may look a little different, with increased safety precautions to protect the health of the collectors and the public.
With less people out and about to donate this year, there are a number of ways the public can donate to the Cancer Society online. People are encouraged to purchase a digital daffodil and dedicate it to someone who is living with or has been lost to cancer, or to donate $24, the cost of transporting a cancer patient to treatment. So if you would normally have dropped coins or notes in a bucket, but you don't see a Daffodil Day collector, please donate at www.daffodilday.org.nz. For those wanting to get more involved there is a wealth of community fundraising ideas at www.youcanforcancer.org.nz.
The Cancer Society won't stop helping and caring, because cancer doesn't stop.
To purchase Daffodil Day products, including the 2020 t-shirt, Beau the 30th Anniversary (and final) Bear, fresh flowers or other products – visit the Centre at 310 Orchard Road, Hastings or phone 876 7638.
