Jo and Glenn Buckingham at their daughter Georgia's grave. Georgia died from cancer in 2016 and the Buckinghams are right behind Daffodil Day tomorrow.
Jo and Glenn Buckingham at their daughter Georgia's grave. Georgia died from cancer in 2016 and the Buckinghams are right behind Daffodil Day tomorrow.
As she prepares to fundraise for Daffodil Day, Kaitaia's Jo Buckingham remembers her spirited and energetic daughter, Georgia.
Georgia was 16 when she died from acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer, in 2016.
Daffodil Day is being held across New Zealand tomorrow, Friday.
"Georgia was so cool, andshe was a fighter," Jo said.
"She fought the terrible disease admirably every day for two years - some days you wouldn't even know she was sick."
A senior personal banker at ANZ Kaitaia, Jo is a long-time supporter of the Cancer Society, ANZ's official charity partner. She has actively fundraised for Daffodil Day since she started working for the bank in 2011.
She never thought her family would be recipients of the charity's support.
"The Cancer Society supported us in so many ways. We received practical help like petrol vouchers and grocery vouchers, and I will always be grateful for what they did for us.
"Fundraising for the Cancer Society is extremely important to me, now more than ever. When it's impacted you personally you do what you can to help. They supported us in so many ways and I will always be grateful - we still keep in touch."
Georgia was just 14 when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid cancer on Christmas Eve, 2014.
Kaitaia 16-year-old Georgia Buckingham died from cancer in 2016. Photo / Supplied
"Age is no barrier," Jo said.
Over the next two years Georgia had a bone marrow transplant and went into remission twice. Sadly, in 2016, the cancer returned a third, and ultimately final, time and Georgia decided against any more treatment.
"She decided it was time to go home and she passed away in her sleep."
Jo's boss and ANZ chief executive David Hisco met her in 2014, a few weeks after Georgia's diagnosis.
"When I first met Jo I told her I would wear my daffodil for her and her daughter Georgia," Hisco said.
"Not long after Georgia's passing, Jo sent me a letter thanking the wider bank for supporting the Cancer Society. She said her family were grateful for everything the charity and her ANZ colleagues did for them, going out of their way to make hard times more bearable."
Hisco said he was so moved by his staff member's letter he asked her permission to share it with the more than 8000 ANZ people across New Zealand.
