Several lives in a single Daffodil Day

Times may be tight, but people's generosity still shines through on the Cancer Society's annual Daffodil Day. ROSITA BOLANDasked some volunteers why they will be helping out on Friday

FRIDAY IS the annual Daffodil Day, when 3,000 volunteers all over Ireland will be selling the distinctive yellow flowers we now associate with the Irish Cancer Society’s (ICS) big fundraising day. This year, the ICS hopes to raise €4 million. All monies raised go towards providing free patient care services, notably the night nurse service, which helps families when someone is in the final stages of terminal cancer. The ICS estimates approximately 30,000 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in Ireland this year.

So, what is motivating the thousands of volunteers who will give up their time this Friday?

Peter Dowdall, a gardener from Glanmire, Cork, has been volunteering for 15 years. His stand is outside Brown Thomas in Cork. “I developed Hodgkins Lymphoma when I was 21. That’s why I originally got involved. I’m 37 now. I keep volunteering . . . because I regard myself as lucky for having cancer that was curable. But also because the older we get, the more busy we get and the less we tend to volunteer, and it’s something I always make time for.

“Cancer affects every single family in the country. Close to 100 per cent of everyone you meet on the day is lovely, but a couple of times, people are angry at having lost people. They want to talk to someone. So you have to be there with a listening ear for that as well.

“The person I remember most is an old woman who came up and gave us two €50 notes. I asked her if she knew they were fifties. I’d say from the look of her, that that €100 was more money than she had. She said, ‘I know how much it is; I’ve been saving a little bit every week for a year to give you this.’”

Breda Murphy, from Furbo, Co Galway was diagnosed with breast cancer some years ago. She is retired. “I got the all-clear last year. I figured I’d give something back.” She has been volunteering for four years, on Shop Street in Galway.

“I noticed last year, I collected less than other years. Definitely less, definitely to do with the economy. Last year, I had a few people complaining to me about the price of the daffodils. They were saying, ‘Oh, they’re €3 now, they used to be €2 last year, they’re very dear.’ Then you have people who give you five, and some give you 10 and they all say keep the change. I find the young people very generous, which I’m surprised by. A young guy can come along and give you €10 and not take the change.”

Self-employed Paul McGarry, from Blackrock, Co Dublin, has been collecting outside Craft Cleaners on Baggot Street for more than 20 years.

“The reason I do it differs as time goes on. In 1988, I had testicular cancer. I suppose the initial motivation was because I needed to give something back. But then I kept doing it because I ended up getting a lot more than I gave back: it’s the experience of spending a day on the street meeting a whole lot of people you wouldn’t normally meet, and every one of them has a story.

“People will refer to a family member going through treatment at the moment, or to someone they’ve lost. And ultimately, you want to raise as much money for the ICS as you can.”

Stephanie Turner from Drogheda is an interior designer, and has been volunteering for 12 years. Her spot is outside Drogheda Town Hall on the main street. “I originally started doing it because I wanted to do some charity work. I was thinking in the last couple of years that maybe it’s time to hand it over to someone else, but it’s so worthwhile.

“Then last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer. I finished radiotherapy a fortnight ago. I have found the Cancer Society particularly helpful the last 12 months, especially their website, and if their services help someone else by my helping to collect on the day, then that’s worth it. I’ll do what I can this year. I would normally be there all day selling. I just can’t do that this year but I will be there at some stage, for a few hours.”

Cecilia McLaughlin lives in Gleneely, Co Donegal. On Friday, as other years, she will be going between Gleneely, Moville and Carndonagh, helping bank the money as it is collected.

“I lost a sister to cancer when she was only 28. She had stomach cancer. That’s what brought it home to me. She left two small children behind. That’s my reason for helping. You don’t really tend to hear people’s stories here when they donate. They wouldn’t really go into any detail, because in a village you already know everything about anyone anyway.

“Especially now, in this climate, the money can really help; it’s needed. You could tell things were a bit tighter last year with money, but people still come out for Daffodil Day.”

On Friday, people and organisations will be collecting for Daffodil Day on behalf of the Irish Cancer Society throughout the country.