Daffodil Day raises funds for cancer research

Saturday, 30 August 2014 04:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The yellow daffodil flower symbolises Hope. It is the logo of the Cancer Council Australia. The annual Daffodil Day is held on 21 August by the Cancer Council to raise funds cancer research. It has been accepted as one of Australia’s best known and most popular fundraising events. The response for the Daffodil Day from corporates, media, partner organisations and the general public is amazing. Events are organised throughout the country to raise funds mainly by selling numerous promotional materials designed and made available by the Cancer Council.

The Council’s associated offices in the different states in Australia plan the activities. In addition to the staff at these state councils along with their regional staff, volunteers turn up in numbers to assist in the day’s operations. Staff members and the volunteers, clad in yellow T shirts (yellow being the colour of the daffodil flower) and special Daffodil Day lapel pins, man stalls set up at strategic locations and promote merchandising material. Nearly everyone contribute to the fund by buying at least a bunch of daffodil flowers. Among other items are pens, soccer balls and teddy bears. TV channels make it a point to remind viewers of the Daffodil Day by displaying the logo and having vases of daffodils during news presentations and talk shows. News readers and program presenters wear lapel pins as well. Walking into a Coles supermarket, I noticed the whole place decorated in yellow. There were huge paper-cut daffodil flowers, balloons, streamers, stocks of live flowers giving a totally Daffodil Day feel. As I walked out, I saw the wall plastered with colourful drawings of by kids. The supermarket had organised a competition for little ones to draw daffodils.

All in all, the media had an effective pre-publicity campaign creating wide awareness of the event. The Cancer Council was hoping to raise A$ 9.7 million this year. The funds are used by the Council to continue its work in cancer research, providing patient support programs and prevention programs for all Australians. The Day helps grow hope for better treatments and more survivors. The Council says the daffodil represents hope for a cancer-free future. The Daffodil Day is lauded as the largest national fundraising event of its kind in the southern hemisphere. It has been estimates that each day more than 115 Australians die of cancer. Cancer Council Australia is a national, not for profit

organisation which aims to promote cancer-control policies and to reduce the illness caused by cancer in Australia. It advises various groups, including the government, on cancer-related issues, acts as an advocate for cancer patients and their families, and is a major funding contributor towards cancer research, prevention and education. Cancer Council Australia was formed in 1961 as the Australian Cancer Society. It was renamed Cancer Council Australia in 1997. Another of Cancer Council’s major fundraisers is Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. On 26 May 2005, the event broke the Guiness World Record for the ‘World’s Largest Simultaneous Tea Party’ with around one million Australians participating and supporting Cancer Council on the day.