TV presenter Anna Daly was joined by pharmacist and influencer Jess Redden on Monday, urging the public to take part in the Irish Cancer Society’s most important Daffodil Day yet, on Friday, March 24th.
The Irish Cancer Society want Daffodil Day to be asc reminder of the urgency to catch up on the detection of thousands of cancers remaining undiagnosed since the start of the pandemic. Anna and Jess have felt the harsh reality of cancer in their lives and are encouraging everyone to ‘take part and take back’, show their support for cancer patients and their families and get involved this March.
It comes as an estimated 2,600 cancer diagnoses were missed in 2020 alone due to the Covid pandemic and catch up remains difficult due to demands on the health service.
The Irish Cancer Society will use Daffodil Day to fund its vital free services such as drives to and from cancer treatment, the Freephone Support Line and Daffodil Centres staffed by experienced cancer nurses, the Night Nursing service providing end of life care and counselling for anyone affected by cancer.
Donations from the public will also provide funding for state-of-the-art cancer research and life-saving cancer trials.
SAVING LIVES
Pharmacist and influencer Jess Redden, who lost her Dad, Brian to cancer during the pandemic said, “When a parent dies, it’s a club that nobody wants to join. But when you do, it’s important to know that others are there to support you. Because of cancer, I’ll miss my dad at the big moments and small moments throughout my life. Cancer takes so much from so many and I’d urge everyone to join in on Daffodil Day so we can take something back.
“The Support Line from the Irish Cancer Society is an invaluable resource, I always went back and relied on the information that the Society provided during dad’s diagnosis. And their investment in research and cancer trials means people’s lives will be saved in the future. Dad was always giving back to charity and I know he would be proud to see me raising awareness for Daffodil Day this year.”
The Irish Cancer Society says that this will be their biggest Daffodil Day yet and are hoping to raise €4 million in funding to support their services and life-changing research. They are ensuring that every person affected by cancer in Ireland has the support they need, when they need it most. The Society is also funding Your Health Matters Roadshows across the country to engage with the public and encourage awareness around signs and symptoms of cancer and get people to take up GP appointments.
As well as donating at www.cancer.ie or volunteering to help fundraise this Daffodil Day, people can purchase items from the Daffodil Day online shop and take part in a Steps Challenge. For more information visit www.Cancer.ie/DaffodilDay
